Originally Posted by moler

I touched on this a few weeks ago: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/23123619-post847.html, http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/23125957-post863.html, and SFO777 also chimed in: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/23125965-post864.html

It looks like if you call later in the evening, there is a better chance you'll get a capable Boise-based agent who would manual sell (albeit based on a tiny sample size). I've also read several accounts in this forum of the Boise call center being competent and helpful. On another occasion, I got a SEA-based agent to manual sell ~7:30 PT, having struck out earlier in the afternoon with a couple of other SEA-based agent.

At the end of the day, I guess it's a bit of a trial and error either way: a) if AS.com availability is real or phantom. b) if the AS agent would manual sell EK.com/EF availability. You won't be able to get a DXB stop-over on AS.com, though.

Good luck!