Originally Posted by AS Flyer
QX primarily operates to smaller cities in the Pacific NW, and several smaller cities in CA where competition is extremely limited or non existent. Because of this, their fares are generally higher. They try to offer a little more for your money in terms of inflight service as a result of high fares. For instance, on a 45 minute flight on Horizon you might also get chips and salsa as well as free beer and wine. Right now on Alaska, chips and salsa is similar to the snack you would recieve on a 2.5 hour flight and you wouldn't get free beer or wine. You can often find fares for a 2.5 hour flight on Alaska in the same range as the fare for a 45 minute flight on Horizon - even less alot of times. Horizon does offer a nice selection of inflight beverages and snacks and they offer the can frequently - you pay alot more for it though.
Things have changed over the past year or so. Here are a couple of observations:
1) QX does compete quite a bit with other carriers at least going South to California. Keep in mind that harmonized markets also provide the free beer/microbrews and these operate hand and hand with AS service.
2) Most QX markets have been rationalized and are consistent with AS pricing in markets of similar distance.
3) Most of the traffic from QX connects to AS or other codeshare partners, using 'add-on' type fares, which are much lower than the fares in the local markets, sometimes it costs the same to fly from a QX point or SEA/PDX. Keep in mind inventory levels also influence the pricing.