Stranger

I have not seen any mention here of branded fares.

Branded fares are mentioned in the Investor Day document from AC earlier this week. From what I understand it's some sort of a way to back off from the unbundling disaster. Allow people who care about the real overall price to include "ancillaries" in the ticket price, perhaps at some discount compared with lower fare + equivalent various surcharges.

I can see that AC does not really like the unbundling business, but feels they have no real choice in the world of search engines and paying the absolute rock bottom price (before all the BS surcharges) is a bit of a national sport. Plus, people who indulge in this will continue going for what they see as lowest price, so there is no real motivation for offering them any kind of custoer service.

However there is your typical FTer, people who actually fly as part of their job, and working for an inconsiderate employer who only cares for lowest price, and who are mighty unhappy with being relegated in the same category as the occasional flyer above.

So, offering people who have a better sense of the business "branded fares" seems to be a win-win situation. Customers pay a bit less, or the same, but they don't feel nickel and dimed with all the crap.

AC apparently expects