US Air and AA have defended the zero value for unused tickets by making an analogy to unused theater or concert tickets, which obviously have no value after the event. When was the last time they oversold a concert, play or a ballgame?

If my unused ticket absolutely meant my seat was flown as an empty, I could understand. But we all know that when we cancel or change a non-refundable reservation, that seat is immediately offered for resale.

Maybe it is time to have re-regulation. After all, what is worse... deregulation or what we actually got... self-regulation? Heck, there are more regualtions now than there ever were, only the carriers are the ones making all the rules!