Originally Posted by
BluSdUp
A noshow is money in the bank and less fuel burn.
You know that.
Not necessarily true.
An empty seat is less fuel burn, I accept that.
It's also, potentially, an opportunity cost rather than money in the bank.
Airlines, historically, have tended not to penalise premium-fare passengers who don't show up for their booked flight by allowing them to move their reservation to a later one with no penalty. Sometimes the unused seat can be filled by a waitlisted passenger, sometimes it can't.
So, in effect, that passenger's fare may end up having bought two seats, one of which goes to waste, or reduces the revenue potential of the other flight, depending on how you look at it.
Of course if you're flying aft of the divider, the above probably won't apply and it's "use it or lose it". But to argue that noshows never impact on the bottom line simply isn't true.
And the airlines clearly agree, otherwise they wouldn't overbook.