Found This For Airline Tickets

[Flashermac]

In the late 1970s I flew from LA to Bangkok on a plane that was nearly empty. I figured we'd fill up in San Francisco, but nope. A few got on and a few got off. The plane flew across the Pacific with only a handful of passengers. Two years later, I made the same flight and it was packed. Turned out it was full of people on travel tours. The guy sitting next to me was a stock clerk from New York making his dream trip - Tokyo, Hong Kong, Bangkok and Singapore, all costs included. He was paying less for his tour than the price of an ordinary economy ticket. But is still was a lot better for the airline than flying empty.

[kamui]

In the late 1970s I flew from LA to Bangkok on a plane that was nearly empty. I figured we'd fill up in San Francisco, but nope. A few got on and a few got off. The plane flew across the Pacific with only a handful of passengers. Two years later, I made the same flight and it was packed. Turned out it was full of people on travel tours. The guy sitting next to me was a stock clerk from New York making his dream trip - Tokyo, Hong Kong, Bangkok and Singapore, all costs included. He was paying less for his tour than the price of an ordinary economy ticket. But is still was a lot better for the airline than flying empty.

 

I think today, airlines just cancel nearly empty flights...

[Plainsdrifter]

No, if airlines see an empty flight coming up, the seats can quickly be sold at wholesale to tour groups. For example, Chinese tour groups purchase blocs of 30 seats in order to receive airline discounts. In the late 1970's airline fares were strictly regulated so a tour group discount couldn't be made at the last minute, hence the empty planes Flashermac talks about.

[Specialist]

I think today, airlines just cancel nearly empty flights...

No, they still fly them, if they need the airplane at the other end.

 

There was a bit of an attempt at raising a scandal a couple of years ago. One of the big airlines flew a 777 across the Pond, with about 4 passengers aboard. One of the British rags screamed bloody murder about the CO2 dump from that totally wasted flight, claimed the airline should have cancelled and rebooked those four passengers. What the British rag's writer and editorial board didn't understand was that the airplane was continuing on from London, and the next leg was FULL, and no other airplane was available. Cancelling the 4-person flight would have meant cancelling the next leg as well, and having to rebook close to 300 people, and THAT is NOT easy to do in this day of 98%-100% load factors.

[baa99]

... plus there is usually cargo.

[TroyinEwa/Perv]

Not to mention crew positioning, a/c positioning, mail, etc, etc......

[kamui]

Not to mention crew positioning, a/c positioning, mail, etc, etc......

 

Ah, yes thanks for all the input. I thought it would be quite easy to cancel a flight...