For any free-market capitalists out there, this is called “market manipulation.” It’s the same as spoiling a product and letting it go to waste rather than selling it at the market price, or giving it away, because you’d rather keep the price artificially high. It’s part of the grift. They make more by price gouging in times where passengers are desperate than they lose by flying with empty seats. If they were to lower the price to the point where people would actually want to buy them, then the gouging would be too obvious.
More forward thinking companies would realize that if they offered reduced price upgrades or even free upgrades to regulars not only will you have grateful customers but you might just hear the magic words “I could get used to this”
Free upgrade to regulars? The industry just spent the last decade aggressively devaluing loyalty programs for their regulars, they’d rather sell it to some rich stranger than appreciate a regular’s business.
I used to churn cards for miles and accepted the travel I got out of them, but now I’m cash or cash-out only. Miles are worth about half of what they were, or less even 3 years ago.
In the past, United has argued that passengers moving up to open seats with extra legroom is immoral
But overbooking and forcing some people to stay where they are isn’t?
I could do see Air Canada doing this, immediately after they hear about it.
On a recent flight I saw the emergency exit was empty so I asked if I could move there and the flight attendant said sure but it would cost like 100 bucks and I was shocked, I remember they would ask if people could sit there and then walk you through the precautions
Pretty sure it’s a requirement to have those filled no?
