To answer the question, yes, it was a waste but the sectors that I did get in J with my DONExs (or equivalent in those days) were still vital to me getting some sleep. If I knew that I had no chance of getting a J seat then I would call ahead and try to get a row of three reserved in Y so I could sleep.

Remember, I was flying up to four nights in a single week and up to 10 night flights a month. A guy has to sleep sometime, even an insomniac like me.

The DONEx was not good value but I built up a relationship with the RTW desk at BA and they tracked the seats for me so when I did the odd economy long haul on other tickets, they tried to get me an op-up if possible.

Then... I discovered that an AONEx equivalent was cheaper in Copenhagen than a DONEx of London. As I worked in CPH a fair amount, well that is the start of the facination with pricing RTWs in different countries.