Originally Posted by
mikew99
Now, I understand the basic reasons to prefer non-stop flights: Shorter travel time, less chance of misconnects, etc.
Right. And people often pay for this.
Originally Posted by
mikew99
What I don't understand is why my friend, who is a seasoned business traveller, would consider flying non-stop on this unknown (again, to both of us) airline when there are at least two major carriers flying this route with connecting flights that cost around the same price.
Just because you don't know of the carrier doesn't mean it is a problem. You're probably over-stating the value of all the research you've described. You say "twice as expensive" but it is not clear whether that is $100, $300, $500 or more. I'd pay $100 extra to not have a connection which adds 2+ hours to such a short trip.