Because the legacies only offer those fares to compete with the ULCCs. No ULCC = no basement legacy fare. It's almost like the sword has 2 edges...

This is why Spirit will apply for and receive a bail out to avoid chapter 11 if all mergers are prohibited.

I don’t think this is that crazy of a theory. Government subsidized air service is already a thing (EAS) and maybe we see that authority expanded to cover low fare tickets. I’m sure legacies could get behind that as well if they could get $x/seat under a certain price.

what is this, North Korea?

the last thing we want is that level of centralized government meddling. Any such program would be an absolute disaster for this career. The more the government gets involved, the more they’ll dick it up.

The first thing they’d try to do in that scenario is lower pilot pay. The public won’t care about a bunch of rich dudes getting a haircut, and the government won’t care what the long term ramifications are.

The government meddles/subsidizes all sorts of stuff. Ever heard of green energy?

you really couldn't have proved my point any better.

gotta run. Off to buy some carbon offsets.

They could, but it’s not proven if Spirt can even exist in an inflationary environment.

Recession proof and inflation proof may not be interchangeable.

Possible Spirt gets past P&W and makes money, also possible they only have a market if the country can run 10 years on <2% inflation.

Low inflation has lasted so long it is baked into Spirits very existence.

Through the United/Southwest app I presume?

Uncle Sam has been handing out a $30 credit to poor people who have high speed internet that already only cost $10 a month because they are poor.

They get paid $20 a month to have internet. Dems pushed for it in that infrastructure deal, and are pushing to extended it.

It is not actually loony tunes anymore that SNAP or Medicaid recipients get a refundable credit to fly Spirit.

This is what I’m ultimately getting at; the federal government is ruling cheap tickets have to be protected. Cheap tickets existing will be enforced one way or the other. It’s equitable that all people have the ability to fly cheaply. Heck, you may have to prove financial status to qualify for said cheap tickets.