Originally Posted by
EBiafore99
I think the SDC fee is counterproductive. Once a flight departs with an empty seat, that seat is gone. You let someone take an earlier flight, that plane now leaves full AND you opened up a seat for a later flight. With the way operations are these days, having that seat available can save way more than the $50 or whatever amount they charge for a SDC.
Just my two cents.
Without the fee people would be more likely to book the cheaper flight that departs at an odd hour and then try to SDC to a more desirable one. That causes revenue leakage, probably more than the scenario you outline. If anything, standby could be free, but SDC as much 24 hours in advance is too generous (for non-elites!).