So here is a new twist the airlines are doing to drum up some more money in air travel, canceling full flights and forcing passengers to rebook at higher fares.

Here’s the scenario: as air travel is getting more expensive, travelers are booking fares at lower rates further ahead of travel these days due to the airlines changing rates during peak flying times.

So when the airlines increased airfare rates by $20 dollars for the popular travel times of Thanksgiving and Christmas, the airlines realized that they will not make any money from those flights that are full with the new fare hike. Their new scam, cancel the full flight and force those passengers to rebook at the higher fare.

This does not seem to affect the Elite travelers as the airlines are willing to rebook them without fare increases, but the average Joe will have to pay more to rebook at the higher rate, thus allowing the airlines to cash in. Airline cancelation data is not released to the public, so the airlines don’t have to justify why the flight was canceled.

Now I will admit that there are valid reasons that an airline will cancel a flight, like not enough fares for a leg to justify the cost, weather issues, mechanical, and so on, but far ahead (Dec) on a full flight, there can be many reasons other than money (especially when they won’t rebook you with the same fare).

I understand that this is a capitalistic society, and that we are all in it to make money, but making money by underhanded deeds is how you wind up on the Better Business Bureau’s 10 most wanted list (not that the airlines really care at this point).