[dave333]

Of course they can sell the seat - airlines oversell all the time since they know some people won't show. Just need to predict that with a few statistics and sell some extra tickets for the skiplagged leg. I think airlines should be required to make tickets to intermediary destinations no more expensive than the same class fare to the final destination then there is no incentive to book a skiplagged ticket and it would benefit consumers in less competitive markets. A case of a good regulation. Right now fares to popular competitive destinations are subsidized by price gouging on less popular destinations.