Photo: ERIC SALARD/Flickr
In Europe, you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone that doesn’t fly budget, from Prince William to the British prime minister. That could be because low-cost carriers account for one-third of the market; here in the U.S. they share less than six percent, so it’s certainly a different story. But is that about to change?
Low-cost carriers like Frontier Airlines and Spirit Airlines are expanding by doubling their fleets over the next seven years. Allegiant Air has also stated that it plans to buy as many reasonably-priced, used planes as it can get. Yes, that means passengers can look forward to an increased selection of cheap fares – and an increased selection of cramped seating options, baggage fees and a lack of complimentary snacks.
A lot of travelers probably won’t be up for that. Spirit Airlines has the highest rate of formal complaints in the industry, and even a carry-on bag can cost up to $100 (and both Spirit and Frontier were recently lambasted for announcing extra baggage fees just for the holiday travel season).
It’s hard to say if the Big 3 – American, Delta and United – will kiss any market share goodbye over the next few years. European discounters were wildly successful because, as one aviation expert told Condé Nast Traveler, “[other European airlines] were dinosaurs. It’s not like American or Delta are giant behemoths waiting to get taken down.”
Still, it’s hard to beat Frontier’s occasional $1 flights. Some deals are way too good to pass up, legroom and free peanuts be damned.