Originally Posted by
hvnflyer
Thats not right and is really taking advantage of the flying public....what happens when there is less competition?
What is "wrong" with it? If the public cannot afford the flights then they won't pay or they'll choose alternate options that are less expensive. You do not have a right to a $NNN fare on any particular route and the airlines aren't charities (though they often do have rather significant charitable efforts).
Fares go up when there is less competition and when a new entrant believes they can make money in a market they show up and often charge less than the legacy on the route. Check out the
change in EWR-BOS when B6 shows up in the market. The cheapest one-way fare went from $415 to $49.