Originally Posted by
aCavalierInCoach
Err... the rest of your comment seems to have glossed over the most important critical point you raised. DL is just asking for a fee for a bunch of things that used to be appended to their lowest fares (which, to your point, remain uncompetitive against NK/F9).
I think I was just trying to imply the following things are not likely to happen, at least not immediately: (a) legacies matching NK dollar for dollar with these new no-frills fares, (b) legacies converting all of the currently cheap fares to no-frills, and the cheapest regular ticket being at something like UA's W level or higher. I'm not sure it's fair to say DL is uncompetitive against NK at a $25/segment difference. E fares still earn award and status miles, have free basic drinks, and avoid NK's truly horrid 28" pitch**. If they were my only two options I'd fly DL in E for $25 more before suffering NK (though I'm admittedly not their target market here).
But maybe there are kettles/kayakers who feel some faint loyalty to a legacy carrier or dream of RDMs to fly overwater, and could be pushed by narrowing the fare gap by $10-20. The no-frills fare gives legacies the option (but not the obligation) of coming closer to competing directly with the likes of NK.
**lol, and a free carryon. I keep forgetting how much of a raw deal NK is.