LCC has become a bit of a misnomer. Yes, it was true that when SouthWest and WestJet and JetBlue started -- with a clean sheet of paper -- they could in the NAmerican context call themselves LCCs. But today they have a fixed cost structure that is as imutable as any Legacy carrier, albeit somewhat lower without the myriad of union contract obligations a decades old carrier would accumulate. (And yes, SouthWest is unionized, but has a more liberal contract than say DL or NW.)

These carriers have also realized there is no future in offering fares that don't cover their operating costs, and add a few bucks for a profit. While this may work for a short time when a new route is started, stasis quickly settles in and everyone wants to keep profitable.

Where you will find true LCCs is in Europe where EasyJet and RyanAir and their ilk can get away with £5 fares, but make their money elsewhere. These carriers also have the advantage of being able to operate from very low cost tirtiary airports, thus keeping this side of their operating costs lower than flying from established airports.

As for the AC pilots canard, the numbers omit lots of the fringe benefits AC's pilots have that WS's don't. And tend to distort the picture because most of AC's junior pilots will be flying the narrow body Airbuses (and ERJ/BRJ fleet) and be lower on the scale. While WS's pilots include both senior and junior levels.

And just ask any AC pilot is he or she would rather be flying with WS, and I am pretty sure they'd quickly find lots of reasons to say No. If WS's pay and working conditions were so great, AC's younger pilots would be defecting in droves. However, WS's pilots have no place else to go within the company. AC's can always move up to B763s, Airbus widebodies and the new Boeings. Afterall, with the Baby Boomer generation approaching retirement, AC will likley have a lot of senior pilot positions opening up in the coming 10 years, and few A319/320/321 pilots will jump ship knowing their career advancement opportunities...and their take home pay...are enormous with AC!

Never accept a union statement at face value! (Sorry Negotiator, this is not a barb aimed at you, so don't take it personally.)