The main selling point with low-cost airlines is that they offer cheaper fares. These carriers can offer inexpensive fares because they let customers choose the services and amenities they want in an "a la carte" style. In short, the price that passengers pay simply gives them their ticket onto the plane. This pricing model allows passengers to build a flying experience that suits them, and to avoid paying for unnecessary services. For example, for a short flight, a passenger might choose a low-cost airline to save money because drinks, snacks and assigned seats are not a necessity.
Passengers traveling on low-cost airlines face additional charges for services they need on the flight. For example, Allegiant Air, a low-cost carrier that flies across the country, charges passengers a per-bag fee for any checked baggage. If passengers flying on Spirit Airlines, another low-cost domestic carrier, want a snack on their flight, they should expect to pay from $2 to $4 per snack. Passengers traveling in a group who want to sit together typically have to pay an additional fee to select their seats on the plane. Passengers paying the lowest fares will have the airline select their seats for them.
Many of today's airlines feature personal televisions with digital cable or even Wi-Fi access in midair. However, passengers will not find such amenities on low-cost airlines. Since such airlines typically fly shorter domestic routes, they offer fewer entertainment options for passengers. Low-cost airlines do not feature a first-class section, for example. Moreover, most of them lack televisions or in-flight movies that higher-end airlines might feature.
