Like Rudi, I too have a friend who specialized in something similar (sorry -- this is only kinda/sorta on-thread to Rudi's post!)...

Friend would book three tickets for holiday weekends to Colorado/Utah ski resorts. He/she and two friends would spend Thurs/Fri afternoon/evenings at airport getting bumped from two or three flights on different carriers.

Friend said it was a great way to fly free...

Oh the h-o-r-r-o-r...