I was in New York earlier this week and got to LaGuardia airport yesterday afternoon about 2 1/2 hours before my flight was supposed to depart (not because I’m a fan of being at the airport early but because the trade show I was at had ended so we figured we’d just head to the aiport).  If you have traveled through LaGuardia, you know that flights typically run late, and yesterday was no exception.  Upon checking in, the person behind the counter informed me and my fellow travelers that flights were running approximately 2 hours behind.  So now instead of leaving in 2 1/2 hours, we were looking at 4 1/2 hours.  Not fun being stuck in an airport.

About 30 minutes before the new departure time, there were a ton of people milling around the counter at the departure gate.  Apparently there was a long list of people hoping to get on the flight that I was on.  Next thing you know, a Midwest Airlines worker gets on the intercom and offers to those waiting that for another $35 dollars above and beyond the price they already paid for their ticket, they can upgrade to first class and thereby secure their spot on the next flight.  It didn’t take long and all the extra seats had been sold.  I guess $35 is a small price to pay to get on the next available flight.  I probably would’ve paid the money had I been waiting, too.  So my question is, how did Midwest price that option at $35? Is first class really only $35 more than coach?  Is $35 cheap enough to fill the plane and would they have flown with empty seats if no one wanted to pony up the $35?  To me it didn’t matter as I had my ticket, but I’m curious how they came up with that number.