"Ryan Ginstrom" ...
> I think that travel agencies overbooking would be far less likely. They
> normally purchase a block of seats from the airline, and then sell those
> seats piecemeal for a hefty markup. But they will only put one body in a
> seat; otherwise you are "kyanseru machi," a phrase my family has become
> quite familiar with. The problem arises when an airline sells the same
block
> of seats to two agents, or sells all its seats, then sells a few seats
> directly at full price, wagering that they can squeeze them in because not
> all agents will be able to sell all their seats.

I might add that many (most?) of these no-shows are actually folks who
bought round-trip tickets when all they needed was a one-way, or some such
unnecessary segment.  I used to picture all these poor souls stuck in
traffic jams missing their flights, but that's not the real story I believe.

best
hibijibi