^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

That is the best answer and has worked for me. Both as the operating Captain and when I was begging for a ride.

I once had a pax stick his head in the cockpit and pass a message that there was a pilot in the gate area looking for a ride. I went to the agent at D+2 to 3 mins and we had a 15 min stand off until he was on the plane. Problem solved.