Originally Posted by
lowfareair
These are the big 3 for me as well. If there was no CIC, you could book a return when booking the outbound (even if it requires a 7-10 day max stay to take advantage of it), and having last seat availability (with potentially some wiggle room for return flights where they will allow it with x+ seats available), it would become intriguing. As it stands, it's a gimmick that would be very difficult to obtain any value from and could leave you high and dry if they decide not to offer seats for a while on the return of the route you flew out on.
I personally think it would work with EITHER no CIC* or last seat availability. Comparing it to just the normal booking process taking advantage of sales, etc…
1) With no CIC customers pay $600 and lose the ability to book in advance, in exchange for the ability to fly for $5 versus $20+.
2) With last seat availability customers pay $600 and don’t save any/much cash versus a sale purchase, but can make their travel plans with less advance notice so long as they’re flexible on the return.
As things are currently constituted the only real way this works is for a flyer who can ONLY book last minute yet is okay not getting a flight at all due to no availability. And I say that as an existing elite from butt-in-seat miles, flying out of MCO, and with a flexible work schedule. If this can’t really work for me I don’t know who it can work for…
*note: it may already have no CIC but unclear terms make that a mystery)