Originally Posted by Globalman

Ok so my suggestion is this: Call up and waitlist the flight as a Companion award (and if neccessary, book a companion seat as well in anyone else's name). No need to issue, just book.

As your given highest priority, once you have your U class seat confirmed, cancel the companion booked seat, and tell them to intend to issue it as either an upgrade redemption or a full ticket redemption. This is your right how you finally issue your ticket, once you have the U class seat you can issue it anyhow you want to.

To increase your chance of getting a confirmed seat, ask any diamond card member friend of yours to book their seat in J class and you the companion (with diamond priority of course). I recon you do this, and if there is any award seat available, you'll be the first to get it!