Virgin Sparks Fare Wars at LAX

0

For years, JetBlue Airways Corp. turned up its nose at flying out of Los Angeles International Airport, saying that LAX was too big, too crowded and, well, that it just preferred to operate out of smaller hubs, the Los Angeles Times rerpots.


Then out of the blue last month, the low-cost carrier stunned LAX officials by asking for gates there. Moreover, it wanted them in Terminal 6 next to Virgin America, the airline started by eccentric British billionaire Richard Branson.


It was no surprise to industry observers. Branson is once again shaking up the industry with an airline that is offering low fares and unusual onboard amenities.


The repercussions have been particularly visible at LAX where the airline has heated up the kind of competition the airport hasn’t seen in recent memory.


LAX passengers flying to popular domestic destinations such as San Francisco and New York are enjoying some of the lowest fares in years despite record fuel prices.


“We’ve become a hotbed of competition,” said Paul Haney, the airport’s deputy executive director. “I don’t know if we could say that without Virgin America.”


Read the full L.A. Times story

.(registration required)

No posts to display