Originally Posted by Rdenney

So, it's really simple: When they have filled up the seats, sell their overbook tickets without seat assignments as standby. "Dear passenger, we will sell you this ticket, but this is a full flight and we may not be able to accommodate you. Therefore, please wait for standby passengers to be cleared to received your seat assignment. If we are unable to clear you, we will rebook you on the next available flight." See? Now, it's voluntary, and it's transparent. I do not buy tickets for which I cannot get a seat assignment, because when I travel, I don't have flexibility. But if I'm looking for a cheap fare for vacation and do have flexibility, then I'll take that risk if the fare is cheap enough. Likewise, if I buy at the last minute, I realize that I will probably be flying standby, no matter how much I pay.