In finishing my AONE, I have open tickets that include the segment LIM-LAX. I haven't had much (any!) trouble getting A availability on any other segment of this 20-segment itinerary. But Lan Chile has A0 literally every day within the ~7 day window I could travel. Most days are F4 A0 (though, to be sure, at least one currently shows F0 A0).

What to do? Could fly these segments some other time -- but this is the convenient time, and my tickets aren't so far from their one-year expiration.

Can I ask to make a resevation in D (plenty of D inventory on the flights at issue)? That seems reasonable to me, but http://members.shaw.ca/fewmiles/oneworld/owe.html doesn't seem to mention this option specifically. (I had thought it did, but now I can't find any such rule.) JonNYC mentions in http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum83/HTML/001939.html that he managed to book D and waitlist for A -- but only thanks to extreme persistence at check-in. What rule to cite as to the permissibility of doing this?

I called Lan Chile US Reservations and suggested that they might send a telex to revenue. The woman knew exactly what I meant -- I guess I chose the right words -- but said only a supervisor could do so (Monday-Friday business hours) (not surprising), and said I shouldn't be hopeful about results.

The LP codeshares also don't offer A availability on the flights I need. Though there are a few odd flights (months in the future, etc.) where, for example, LA shows F4 A1 and LP shows F4 A4, on an LA flight!

Anyone have experience to share here?

References: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum83/HTML/001939.html , http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum83/HTML/002031.html

[This message has been edited by bedelman (edited Jan 17, 2004).]