Originally Posted by CaptainMiles

I flew Boutique Air's PC12 ATL-MSL-BNA. Their pricing was better than DL's nonstop ATL-BNA. There is no LOLing at the "First Class (A)" seat. The seats are far more generous than coach, albeit smaller than typical F seats. And they have lap and shoulder seat belts. There are drinks and snacks, which is all you would get in first class on a trip of similar duration, and lots more than you would get in coach. And you get free checked bags, much like first class.

Their pricing is a racket to exploit the EAS (Essential Air Service) subsidies. Every passenger flown into or out of an EAS airport earns the airline a subsidy of about $200 (varies by market). So when they fly you SLC-VEL-DEN, they will make you deplane at VEL and go through TSA to get back onto the same aircraft for the second leg, under a different flight number. That is so they can count you are a VEL destination plus another VEL origin, earning them $400 in EAS subsidies. That is how they can be price competitive when flying an 8-seat PC12 with 2 crew at such prices.