My F award ticket was booked with AA on JL 4 departing in March. Last week I was switched to JL 8006. Called AA regarding putting me on JL 6 and required two HUCAs before I "suggested" being transferred to someone who could effect the change. The agent did so and the next agent put me in the "queue" requesting the change. The next day my JAL record showed me as waitlisted for JL6, Then, the day after that, I was confirmed and ticketed on JAL 6. I had to call JAL for my seat assignment as the only two seats remaining on JL 6 were the blocked 1A and 1K. I got through to JAL yesterday (with only a 15 minute wait time) and the agent told me I'd have to wait until 24 hours before check-in to select my seat. After a bit of gentle prodding she agreed to try to get the seat assigned to me. I was on hold for only a few minutes when the agent came back and told me the seat assignment was effected. All in all, it wasn't hard.

Must say though, I had an easier experience when JALs November schedule changes required me to fly out a day earlier on my March outbound flight, in order to make my HND connection. This award ticket was booked on AS. No HUCAs, no waitlisting, just Alaska's knowledgeable Partnership Desk agents.