Originally Posted by
jsloan
I've explained it multiple times. The fact that there is no inventory doesn't mean that there is no price. All they need is a system that tells them what the price would be if there were inventory, and it works.
This is exactly how cash airfare works today. Inventory and fares are separate. You could have a P fare, but no P inventory; you can't buy the flight at that price, but, in theory, you could waitlist for it. By policy, it's not allowed, but the mechanism is well-defined; it would work if they allowed it.
Sorry, but in my limited experience, cash airfare works by knowing a price and paying it. In theory, one could design all manner of opaque systems that could theoretically work, but why would a rational organization do that when then want you to purchase now? Waitlisting currently involves an intention to purchase/sell a seat for a known and agreed price, not something that is unknown and not agreed (and by the way, perhaps the waitlister does not even have enough points to pay the unknown fare).
Your example of something that could happen, but is not allowed by policy, working if they allowed it, just does not make any practical sense. Of course, UA could decide to devote its resources to undermine its Dynamic Pricing plan, I just do not see it. Time will tell.