I agree that you don't have to pay money to either Wal-Mart or Southwest if you don't want to. That is the great thing about America and competition between companies keeps things better. That is why Russia and Aeroflot was a bad way to go.

What confuses me is why you would pay $4 for a box of Cheez-it Crackers at Safeway when that EXACT same box is $2.50 at Wal-Mart? Once in a while, when Safeway is closer than Wal-Mart, and you save the gas, sure, I get it. On a routine basis? Safeway's store really is that much prettier than Wal-Mart's and that really adds value to you? Safeway's staff really is that much more helpful?

Likewise, Southwest's coach seat is pretty much the same as Frontier's coach seat (especially now that Frontier went to leather, like Southwest).

Web site www.SeatGuru.com reports 32-33" of seat pitch for Southwest vs. 32" of seat pitch on Frontier (31" on an ERJ). Seat width is 17" at Southwest and 18" at Frontier. Note that there is extra pitch and width on Southwest at rows 11 and 12 including the most coveted 11E and 12F.

Yes, Frontier has that DirectTV screen in front of you. Is it worth an extra $30 each way plus the $5.99 they charge for DirectTV to watch TV? That is a personal decision. Maybe for you it is. It isn't for me. Paying $36 to watch a couple of hours of TV? I'm confused, especially when you say "Free your mind and throw a brick through your TV" Don't throw a brick at the Frontier DirectTV -- I don't think Frontier would like that. I think you might even be greeted by the TSA or other police at your destination. (What is the policy for carrying on bricks? )

Add to that $36 the probability of a change times the change fee. So if you change 1 out of 5 flights and the change fee is $100, that is an extra $20 per flight. Now is DirectTV worth $56? (If you frequently do same day changes, then yes, add the probability of same day changes times the upcharge from "Wanna-get-Away" fare to full fare to Southwest's price)

Checking a second bag? Add $25. Now is DirectTV worth $81?

Add another $3 for a full bottle of coke that you have to bring on board (Frontier only gives a cup or two) At another $2-4 for snacks you have to bring on board.

Now, going DEN-BIL? Sure, take Frontier. I wouldn't go to GEG and drive it. I don't even think WN has DEN-GEG non-stop.

Flying enough to non-Southwest cities that using Frontier a few times when you could have gone with Southwest so you get Ascent/Summit status? OK, I get that. (I believe that Summit status even eliminates the change fee) But flying mostly with Frontier on Southwest routes (e.g. DEN-LAS) and staying with Frontier, because they have cute animals on their tails? I don't get that.

Assigned seating? OK, I get that to some degree. But, having a higher probability of an open middle? That is as close to first class as you can get on either WN or F9. On WN I can work around the open vs. assigned seating thing either by checking in 24 hours before the flight or getting on the A-list. With A-list, I've got a good shot at those exit rows that are reserved for only the most elite (Summit or 1P/1K at United) The new Southwest boarding procedure (started in Nov 2007) eliminates the cattle call at the gate. Both airlines still have a certain degree of "gate lice" that try to board in the first group when they are assigned group 3 or group C.

One thing that really soured me on Frontier was the Christmas 2006 big snow storm mess. I offered Frontier a chance to fly me out early before the storm. United was already giving free changes. But not Frontier. As one Frontier agent told me "we are not United." Southwest sold me a last minute ticket for virtually the same price as a 4-month advance purchase on Frontier. Full story: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=643396 End result: Frontier lost about $400 of revenue and Southwest gained $400 of revenue. Would have booked with Southwest originally but they weren't flying non-stop at that time on that city pair. They are now. Odds are very high Southwest will be getting my business this Christmas. I'll be booking that on June 26, when the schedule opens for Southwest, confident that if there should be any price decreases, Southwest will give me a ticketless travel funds refund (as opposed to Frontier, who, if they drop the price, won't give any refund at all).

If how the company pays its employees is a factor in the Wal-Mart/Safeway decision, then the edge goes to Southwest, who, according to a pilot on the United FT board, pays its 737 pilots 40% more than United. The pilot has your life in his hands -- the Wal-Mart/Safeway employee, at most, has your eggs.

According to http://airlinepilotcentral.com/ a Frontier captain with 5 years of experience makes $133 an hour. A United A320 or 737 captain with 5 years of experience makes $127 an hour. A Southwest captain with 5 years experience makes $183 an hour. (As an aside, a United 747/777 captain with 5 years experience makes $180 an hour -- $3 an hour less than a Southwest 737 captain!) I can't speak to the differences in the benefit packages, although I would think that both have health insurance. United might, at one time, have had a better pension package, although they have to stay in business to give that, otherwise, the pension system reverts to the minimum payments guaranteed by the PBGC. A pilot could do deferred comp of that extra $50 per hour and likely be a lot better off.