MG, One other avenue you may wish to explore is enquiring at the gate. I know that LH for one has some type of jumpseat request form that you fill out at the gate and I beleive is submitted to the cockpit. I myself have had to utilize this when the loads are bad and I am trying to get to work! They are one airline that is wonderful about filling their jumpseats with warm bodies! And if you are on my flight, scratch the chocolates, a pack of crisps will work wonders!