My experience was the same. When I needed any type of help with a booking, I just called. Maybe it was my PLT status; but I was never refused, regardless of what I needed. Phone agent was happy to assist and deal with my request.

I did things like change info online, but anything relating to a specific rezzie I did by phone. And it went, as TG says, smooth as silk!

A welcome move (albeit giving something back that they took away! :rolleyes:) but its just too little too late & I cannot wait to burn the final balance of Q Credits & miles (which is tough when they black out months & months of redemption availability).

Now.....QRPC if you really are listening....how about proper access to QR branded Lounges on miles/q credit upgrades@:-) ;)

Just tried my luck via the call centre in Doha for an award upgrade. The agent was nice & polite but said that they could not make requests to open up upgrade space when there's no ready availability. So whilst they've reopened their call centres to attend to award upgrades, functionally they're the same as the online portal.
Gone are the days when they could put in a special request for you. :(

I assume you were trying to do Y -> J? How many J seats were available in total? (Not on the seating chart, but on an availability display.)

J9 C9 D9 I6 R2 when I looked yesterday.

It's gone down to J9 C9 D8 I4 R0 since then. Guess they're hopeful that they could potentially sell out the cabin over the next 5+ weeks.

Correct. They just ask the people to do everything online. They also said they know nothing better than the members, and that the membership department is separated.