In article , Bob Gardner wrote:

Could it be because they have to file tariffs with regulatory agencies,
declaring their prices in advance?

I thought that was what deregulation was about--removing that requirement.
If they really have to do that, then Northwurst must have a department with
thousands of people filing these constantly, since I see ticket prices for the
same leg change several times in an hour.

Of course, I have no idea what the requirements really are--I'm just
reporting my experience as a consumer (package, that is).

One possibility is that people on shorter hops might be better about actually
taking advantage of last-minute fares--maybe no one would buy and advance
ticket then. It sure does seem like a no-brainer, though.

Mike Beede