Originally Posted by
MikeFly
Playing the role of a contrarian here...
On domestic flights, once you are at the gate, rarely if ever is your ID checked before boarding. So while not the best idea, if ID's are not checked, AA would never know that the person boarding is not the same as the person who actually bought the ticket.
Personally, I can't imagine taking the risk with a stranger who may say something to someone leading to potential unpleasant surprises.
Yes, in theory you could pull it off this way, but it would probably be illegal. I'd think there is some Federal law that requires manifests to be accurate and penalties for anybody who does something to make them false.
The really tough part, I think, would be finding a willing stranger. I'm sure that I would be unwilling if somebody approached me with that offer. It would make for a good scam - scammer books a later refundable flight, trades with the dupe and then cancels the later flight.