Originally Posted by
wiggy
It might well matter to the airline...
For example if there are no identity checks then an individual could make a business out of booking a ticket (or tickets) well ahead of the flight date at possibly a cheap rate for popular domestic flights. Nearer the flight date, when "offical" prices have probably gone up, that person could then sell the tickets on at a profit to other individuals..
The airline want that profit...
Rail companies don't care who the passenger is (unless there are railcard discounts etc) so why should domestic air travel be any different? In future, I wonder if airlines would embrace a resale market on the basis that they could transfer sales risk to a third party, albeit accepting lower yields?