FT is a weird bunch, and IMHO, not a proper place to do a market basket study -- we definitely get a cross section of opinions and experiences, but I'm not sure it's enough of a representative sample to make economic decisions on behalf of the airlines.
That said, my travels are 100% discretionary, and COMPLETELY depend on the price of the ticket -- within reason. I don't fly places to fly there just because the ticket costs $50 (or $100) but on the flip side, I won't do as much travelling if the ticket prices are north of $500 rt for a transcon.
In today's travel environment, I'd rather pay $250 or $300 to sit in coach and be ignored than pay $500 for excellent service. Perhaps if the entire coach concept was reworked, I'd change my mind, but with the current product and offerings, you won't see me paying high fares any time soon. Of course, I carry on my own DVD player and selection, sleep quite a bit, or read a book, so I'm not looking for the airline to entertain me. I'll pay less to get less.
So, I'd like to challenge RC's statement that "most people" choose their travel based on schedule and service. In fact, I'd wager that service is dead last, as most leisure travelers are price conscious, and most corporate flunkies have bean counters telling them who they can and cannot fly.
If service was a priority, YX (Midwest Airlines) would be larger than WN, and they would not have cut out their fabulous meals in the face of economic pressures.