In Jocelyn Kwong’s blog post, Comforting Profit, she condemns the behavior of airlines to reduce costs at the expense of the customer’s comfort and suggests dissatisfaction at how “the word “luxury” isn’t even associated with flight travel anymore”.

Although I understand the sentiment of luxury being a necessity in flight travel, I disagree with her condemnation and believe that these airlines are being progressive and forward in their thinking of reducing costs and yet pleasing customers. In today’s globalized society, it is nearly impossible to live one’s entire life without ever leaving one’s country. Because of the way flight travel is operated, fixed costs are significantly large and thus, may deter those who cannot afford to travel from international opportunities.

This places some people in a disadvantage from experiencing air travel; by significantly reducing costs to make an airline ticket merely include the bare minimum (which may not even include a seat), airlines are widening their customer segment by lowering the desired income of their target consumers. This will in turn increase profits considerably as more people are presented with the opportunity to travel by air.

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