Low cost carriers are airlines which reduce the airfares by simplifying ways of management and transportation. In other words, it removes free services and simplifies paid services in order to reduce the airfares. Many people complain about the low quality services of low cost carriers. However, the low cost carriers have gradually improved their organizations with efficient cost structures to make low airfares.
  The table lists specifications of low cost carriers and full service carriers selectively for comparing the services. Low cost carriers provide paid services except for basic services, but full service carriers provide all services for free.

  Many consumers have prejudices against low cost carriers. However, there are some misunderstandings stemming from their low airfares. The domestic low cost carrier market is now growing. In the first half of this year, the low cost carrier growth has been substantial. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced that the passengers using low cost carriers totaled 7.38 million, which increased 21% compared with last year. On the other hand, the domestic flights of the major airlines, Korean Air and Asiana Air, are decreasing. This result represents consumer psychology. They want to pay cheaper airfares even with the low quality services in a recession.


 
  Many consumers have prejudices against low cost carriers. However, there are some misunderstandings stemming from their low airfares. The domestic low cost carrier market is now growing. In the first half of this year, the low cost carrier growth has been substantial. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced that the passengers using low cost carriers totaled 7.38 million, which increased 21% compared with last year. On the other hand, the domestic flights of the major airlines, Korean Air and Asiana Air, are decreasing. This result represents consumer psychology. They want to pay cheaper airfares even with the low quality services in a recession.
 


  If you are interested in low cost carriers, let’s listen to the real experiences and opinions of LCC between two people who used low cost carriers before!

  My name is Kong Sae-bom (’11, Dept. German Language and Literature). I’m from Jeju island. I go to Jeju island once a month because of my father who loves me so much. I often use flights to go to my home. Also, I have lots of experiences around the world.
 
  My name is Jung Ji-wook (’12, Dept. German Language and Literature). I’m a junior of Sae-bom’s! I love to travel although I have fewer flight experiences than Sae-bom.
 
S: Actually, there is a small price gap between major airlines and low cost carriers, but it feels cheaper than major airlines because low cost carriers have a lot of big bargains. In addition, Jeju Air makes in-flight announcements with a Jeju dialect on every route to Jeju island. Also, sometimes the flight attendants play games with passengers.
J: Wow, is that true? I never knew that! In my opinion, I think that low cost carriers have many problems, especially in safety because of its cheap pricing. In major airlines, they basically have many new types of planes and professional maintenance mechanics, but low cost carriers don’t. They have old types of planes and have maintenance teams who can work on only one type of plane. Furthermore, its maintenance system is managed based on the reduced prices of their budgets.
S: No! Not at all. For example, Jin Air, a subsidiary company of Korean Air, has focused on the safety problems. They acquired IOSA (IATA Operational Safety Audit) for the first time for a domestic low cost carrier.
J: I think not only the in-flight circumstances but also the punctuality are important. But the low cost carriers using the sub-airport of destinations can’t guarantee punctuality. I think this is a big reason that people don’t use low cost carriers.
S: Yes, punctuality is a very important problem. There are lots of delay problems when using the low cost carriers because they want to accept more passengers. They continuously take check-ins and standbys for many passengers in one flight, so the delays are inevitable for low cost carriers. Also, not every low cost carrier can use airports. It’s a huge weakness of low cost carriers. For this reason, many people mostly use major airlines.
J: Oh, I see. Sae-bom, your words will be helpful for me to choose a low cost carrier. I think there are lots of prejudices against low cost carriers. From now on, I will have to rationally choose an airline.

By Park Ji-su | js34@cbnu.ac.kr

By Oh Ah-ra | ar34@cbnu.ac.kr