Originally Posted by
gooselee
There are many people who are unwilling to spend the extra $20 or whatever that OP is, as well as people who will accept any level of limited service to gain any cost savings. Same reason that Motel 6, Travelodge, etc. stay in business.
They're just other options for those who want them - nothing wrong with it. And if you think about it, folks with no status are losing fewer perks when buying an E fare, too, to the value difference is smaller. I do wish people would read the fare description more carefully...
"caveat emptor" -- "let the buyer beware"
how do the airlines inform you of the price? in larger bolder more visible typeface, well publicized / marketed / advertised
how do the airlines inform you of the fare details? in tiny typeface, buried in indecipherable incomprehensible travel-expert-speak, in many cases difficult or impossible to locate after purchase
if you make a purchase decision solely on the basis of the price, and don't (or don't take time to, or don't seek assistance to) fully read or understand the details, you really have no one to blame but yourself -- it sure seems that the airlines like it that way, though