Low-cost airlines

Low-cost airlines have existed in Europe since the liberalisation of air transport in the late 1990s. Their orientation and character have changed again and again over time. In the meantime, there are already the first "ultra" low-cost airlines. On the other hand, many established airlines are also getting involved in the price war, so that the differences are blurring to some extent. Twenty-five years ago, the effects of climate change and its consequences for air transport were still little researched; today, low-cost airlines, with their difficult environmental balance sheet, are sometimes given the role of bogeyman. Can low-cost airlines survive in this increasingly difficult environment? Is the permanent cost pressure detrimental to safety? Should they switch to the ecologically more sensible long-haul routes? Will cooperation bring about a turnaround? These and many other questions are examined by the author, who has experience in the industry. The conclusion may surprise.