Originally Posted by
dfw88
No, the late departure does not help keep it open. That flight is regularly very full. It may or may not be open the day you want to fly, but in general it fills up.
I'll just add that on days that there may be open seats, they are likely to be filled by non-revving employees and their dependents, and retirees. Buddy Pass or D3 passengers are near the bottom of the priority list and if even they get on, they are unlikely to be assigned seats in the Business or Premium Economy cabins.