There seem to be three main arguments for having pre-paid tickets for Airshows.
1) If the weather is bad the show does not make a loss.
Isn’t that a rather cynical approach to making money? While I accept that bad weather does affect ticket sales, preventing the public making a choice is a rather negative approach. I also think most air show goers will just attend on day two of a two day event regardless. That’s what I tended to do. If I planned to attend the Saturday and the weather was forecast better for Sunday (or vice versa) I would change days but I would still go. That option isn’t open to me now. Bit sad to have been forced to attend on a bad day especially if the other day was better. Before I just put this down to bad luck because I at least could make a choice.
Airshows also do not offer a refund if nothing fly’s (although has been mentioned there are exceptions). A 2 minute hop by a Chipmunk does not an airshow make. Much the same as Liam Gallagher clearing his throat does not make a concert.

2) Other venues (Music, Theatre etc) already have pre paid tickets.
This is true and I have purchased pre-paid tickets for most other events and accepted this however, in these cases there will be many dates to choose from (for theatre that could be months or years to choose from) and refunds offered if the event does not happen. Also the event organisers base this on number attending, venue capacity not so they can make money if the event is scrubbed. The last few airshows I have attended were not full to capacity that I could see. They looked a bit spacious compared to some years.

3) The cost of producing the tickets.
Is that a huge cost? I would have thought in the grand scheme of things the cost of printing tickets must be miniscule as opposed to having a massive turnout on a very sunny weekend? With pre-printed tickets you will only ever get the maximum number of tickets sold = the max number of tickets. No sell out days anymore. I was a bit annoyed at one airshow to have to queue to have my pre-printed ticket scanned. Pre-printed tickets can take longer and cause queuing if the systems are not in place to accept them.

I wonder how many people are put off with advance ticket sales. Not by the principle but by the practicalities of organising family life. Is there any data to show a down turn of sales.

Also why advance ticket sales now? Since the 70’s I’ve always paid at the gate. All the above issues have always existed. Seems they have only become an issue the last few years. To some extent caused by Shoreham and insurance increases but that’s hardly the publics fault.

As to admin fees surely these should be completely dropped. Take RIAT. I am charged an admin fee yet I download and print the ticket myself. Maybe I should charge RIAT?

Can I just point out that I am not anti airshow. I have (since 1989 as a ticket purchaser) and will support airshows regardless of tickets and weather.
Thanks for making this an interesting thread.