They may arrive at the same destination, but two passengers on the same flight can have strikingly different travel experiences.
One traveler breezes through a priority security lane and heads straight to an invite-only lounge for craft cocktails and a chef-prepared meal before boarding early. A flight attendant offering a glass of champagne and a warm hand towel welcomes the passenger to a spacious seat at the front of the plane.
The other traveler stands in a line at every step — security screening, a café selling $16 sandwiches, a crowded gate — then boards with one of the final groups, hoping there’s still room for a carry-on in the overhead bin before folding into a cramped middle seat. After the cabin lights dim, sleep comes in fragments, and a travel pillow does little to ease a stiff neck.
The contrasting journeys are no accident. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the largest U.S. airlines have pulled out all the stops to court premium passengers who are willing to pay for comfort, convenience and exclusivity. Budget-conscious travelers may notice a widening gap between the back of the plane and up front as the carriers increasingly build their businesses around selling first-class, business-class and premium-economy seats.
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They all cut costed everything by following Spirit’s model without reducing the ticket fare. They’re maximizing profit on their lowest paying passengers by making everything a pay to win add on.
The focus on first class is still in place because it rakes in the most money, but they’ve been juicing economy as much as they possibly can.
Current US first class is what high quality economy was 30+ years ago. I wouldn’t pay a dollar extra for that crap.
Now that Spirit is dead, they all collectively raised the ticket fare floor because corporate collusion is America’s favorite passtime.
The high traffic route from DTW-ATL magically doubled in price to the same amount, despite both Frontier and Delta servicing the same route, which are suppossed to be two completely differently marketed airlines.