Airline Pilot Central Forums

Airline Pilot Central Forums (https://www.airlinepilotforums.com/)
-   Major (https://www.airlinepilotforums.com/major/)
-   -   ULCC Model in the U.S. (https://www.airlinepilotforums.com/major/125192-ulcc-model-u-s.html)

flensr 11-05-2019 02:01 PM

My last flight as a Spirit FO, 2 pax peed in their seats and some lady must have been afraid her baby would be sucked down into the lav toilet so she had the baby poop in the fwd lav sink.

That kind of thing happened on my flights almost every month while I was there.

bluesky24 11-05-2019 02:17 PM

ULCC’s can grow in the US but will never match the market share of the big 3. The Legacy’s control all of the markets in all of the major US cities and therefore generate a revenue premium that the ULCC’s will never get. ULCC’s will also see their costs increase over time as their employee groups grow larger and negotiate better contracts and as their aircraft age. The problem is they compete on price and will struggle to increase revenue to match their increased costs. This is my opinion only

Al Czervik 11-05-2019 03:44 PM


Originally Posted by Triggs (Post 2918478)
I would beg to differ somewhat on the clientele. AA MIA to DCA last week the poor FA had to tell a passenger 4 times to use headsets. The level of cleanliness and level of couth are the same these days. particularly in the back

Bad example. MIA= all bets are off.

mainlineAF 11-05-2019 06:18 PM


Originally Posted by Flyby1206 (Post 2918331)
It is a byproduct of the frequent flier points systems. Legacies are mostly flown by those who fly frequently and/or are interested in collecting points for future travel. Corporate travel accounts are main drivers for this type of thing. Beat the FF programs and you will beat the legacies.



Don’t forget about network size. You just can’t get to a lot of places on the U/LCCs.

Aero1900 11-05-2019 07:47 PM


Originally Posted by mainlineAF (Post 2918649)
Don’t forget about network size. You just can’t get to a lot of places on the U/LCCs.

Definitely true. Right now Frontier serves over 100 destinations and has less than 100 airplanes. Lots of routes are 3 or 4 days a week service while the legacies are usually 3 to 4 times a day.

goinaround 11-05-2019 08:17 PM

I’m just a lowly cargo pilot.....but I do spend alot of time in the back of delta, united, and american. When I’m flying my family somewhere....it’s usually on a LCC. I don’t see the product as inferior to any legacy carrier domestically.....from a coach standpoint.

135tankerdriver 11-05-2019 09:16 PM

Agreed. My family of five have flown on Spirit, Allegiant and Frontier without issues.

madmax757 11-05-2019 11:48 PM

I just did a search for a roundtrip LAS - MCO . depart 11-14 and return 11-18 cheapest nonstop fare.

Frontier is $220
Southwest is $560

So lets say a family of four traveling. You check one big bag on Frontier for $80 roundtrip and then do backpacks for the flight. Saving over $1200. That's a lot of money you can spend on your vacation.

I have a Delta captain friend that buys tickets on Frontier for his family instead of dealing with non rev fun.

So just saying cheap sells. Id be willing to bet most pilots on here go to Costco or Sams club.

SaintNick 11-06-2019 04:20 AM


Originally Posted by madmax757 (Post 2918740)
I just did a search for a roundtrip LAS - MCO . depart 11-14 and return 11-18 cheapest nonstop fare.

Frontier is $220
Southwest is $560

So lets say a family of four traveling. You check one big bag on Frontier for $80 roundtrip and then do backpacks for the flight. Saving over $1200. That's a lot of money you can spend on your vacation.

I have a Delta captain friend that buys tickets on Frontier for his family instead of dealing with non rev fun.

So just saying cheap sells. Id be willing to bet most pilots on here go to Costco or Sams club.

Just bought a Disney round trip for 5 people and saved a ton of money flying frontier. Checked 2 bags between us and we are good to go. Would have driven if it wasn’t for the frontier prices.

GoMissed 11-06-2019 04:28 AM


Originally Posted by Omniscient (Post 2918213)
“Most customers don’t want to put up with that crap”

Seriously? Have you seen the product by some of the legacy folk? Unless you’re up front on AA, I would rank that ride on par with Spirit or Frontier.

Correction....up front on an old Airways plane out of CLT is pretty bad too. And I hear Parker is cutting the legroom in first class as well.

Regression to the mean is already underway as legacy carriers try to adapt ULCC concepts for themselves, including shrinking seat pitch, credit card sales, checked bag fees etc. How much longer do you expect a carry on to be free at AA or UAL?

Have you looked at the difference in customers on a Spirit flight vs a Delta-AA-United flight? It’s very noticeable. Just go walk through the terminals even. There’s a market for it, and they are catering to it. Plenty of work for everybody.


All times are GMT -8. The time now is 10:05 PM.


Website Copyright © 2026 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands