Thanks for the feedback, AS Flyer. I should have been more precise in my wording. I'm looking at various sites (including alaskair.com) that show available seats on the specific flights I want on the specific dates I want 2 or 3 months from now. Those flights have very few seats sold thus far. It sounds like AS is finding that flights are filling up as the travel date approaches. That's good. It's just that in the past I could get better fares by making a commitment months in advance. That isn't as true now.

I understand that overall fares need to increase for the airline industry to get back on its feet. I don't mind paying a certain amount more. But it surprises me when SEA-LAX costs so much more than last year for the same flights. Maybe just my own hangup.

By the way, you and your fellow FA's do a great job at AS. Like Eastbay1K on another thread, I'm trying to guess if I've been on one of your flights. Your tone here sounds a lot like a male FA I talked with on a flight a few months back. If you are he, you do a great job!