Airlines are resorting to a new tactic in navigating the pandemic-inspired collapse in travel: They are giving seats away.
Alaska Air Group Inc. ran 48-hour sales in August and September, offering an entire three-seat row for the price of a single ticket. Europe’s biggest airline, budget carrier Ryanair Holdings PLC, offered 2-for-1 specials for flights through mid-December. Southeast Asia’s AirAsia brand earlier this year sold “unlimited passes,” allowing customers in some markets to travel as much as they wanted for a few…