Word: farely
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...passengers, speed through security and stroll 25 feet across the tarmac to a luxuriously appointed Embraer business jet. Slide into one of the 16 spacious leather seats (there are no middle seats) and dig into a gourmet meal. Then land at another convenient, smaller airport: Chicago's Midway. The fare: $1,500 round trip, about the same last-minute fare you would pay the better-known outfits with hubs in Chicago, American Airlines and United Airlines...
Price-conscious trips today require more preflight planning than simply calling one or two major airlines that serve your city, but the potential payoff is huge. The typical fare has dropped 18% since 2000, although flyers might have to arrive at a secondary airport or bring their own dinner. And to the delight of their employees and shareholders, several of the smaller airlines are finding ways to boost revenues and profits in their niches. "What are crumbs for the major airlines are a full meal for us," says Dan McKinnon, CEO of tiny North American Airlines, primarily a charter carrier...
...thank Southwest Airlines for the changes--or curse it, if you are a competitor. Southwest, based in Dallas, created the basic-fare, point-to-point model the new discount carriers are adapting and profiting from. Five airlines today--AirTran, ATA, Frontier Airlines, JetBlue and Spirit Airlines--aspire to be the next Southwest, and at least two major carriers, Delta Air Lines and United, have launched or announced plans for low-fare, me-too subsidiaries (a second try for both...
...fare carriers are obsessed with keeping costs down and treating customers well. They work hardest at employee relations, aware that labor troubles have helped sink several major airlines. The low-fare airlines shun extravagances, from linen napkins to fancy airport lounges. In contrast to some major airline CEOs, who pocketed hefty compensation packages even as their airlines were losing billions of dollars, executives at low-fare airlines are out helping load bags when necessary and are tying their pay to their firms' performance. The small airlines have also done away with or reduced the traditional charges for changing tickets...
...small airlines are trying to prove that flying can be enjoyable again. JetBlue offers 24 free channels of LiveTV. Delta's low-fare Song subsidiary promises it will have pay-per-view movies and MP3 players by October. AirTran lets you upgrade to business class for only $35 above full coach fares and gives you Mrs. Fields cookies. Hooters Air's hostesses orchestrate humorous in-flight quizzes and pass out free hats and T shirts. "We're just trying to bring a bit of fun back to flying," says Mark Peterson, chief operating officer of Hooters. "It doesn't have...