Jay, you are correct. But the contract exists from you buying the ticket until the contract is fulfilled with you arriving at your destination, providing numerous compliance check-points are met along the way. But flying also requires the weather and airports to play ball. At the same time airlines have become used to using their aircraft as internal transport. Are they wrong to do this? Should airlines keep seats free for position crew? Every airline adverse option means the poster is perfectly happy for you to pay more to fly. Is that OK?