Viewed by many within the industry as unworkable and unprofitable, the concept of low fares for traditional long-haul flights had its critics before the idea got off the ground. But new technology and global events now make this a new operator revenue stream, Michael Doran finds out
New aircraft like the Airbus A321LR and the Boeing 737 MAX are changing how long-haul travel is delivered. However, they are also disrupting the market with low-cost airlines using single-aisle economics and agility to mix and match aircraft as demand fluctuates.
The future of low-fare long-haul travel is looking rosy as customers recoil in horror at exorbitant fares, particularly on international long-haul flights. To find out what’s driving change, Air International took a look at the aircraft and the airlines that are disrupting the status quo. The low-fare long-haul sector is changing, with most of that change coming from higher airfares across all markets and the arrival of new-generation aircraft that are changing the economic models.
Airline capacity is slowly recovering to pre-pandemic levels, although international traffic has some way to go. Airfares – admittedly impacted by high fuel costs – have gone through the roof, and low fares are …
