“so I had 3 seats and one day the airline would find a way to make me pay.”
My point is that you and me and every other passenger is already paying for them. Once the plane is in the air they are worthless - allthough it would be nice to pay $20 or so and get upgraded in the air if First Class were not full :-)
( Maybe they could have an onboard auction ? )
Funny you should mention onboard auction, that was part of my joke with the stewerdess.
That said, when she got (somewhat) serious, her guess was that in the future, they would simply relocate passengers so they would not have entire rows, or empty seats next to them, thus putting in place a one ticket, one seat policy in reality.
Either that or making the actual ticket variable, so you may pay more if you get "added value".
Considering some ideas that airlines have considered (including one by the late Milton Friedman), I not only would not put it pass them, I almost expect them to eventually act on it.
FWIW, some airline, if they are overbooked, but have empty seats in first class, will still bump you instead of upgrading you (though some of those airlines, do at least offer the oppurtunity of an upgrade for a price.....which comes across as extortion).
That, more then some fat guy who could walk around in high heels and strike oil, is what concerns me.