Low Cost Long Haul Strategy: Feeding The Network

Low cost long haul operators are establishing partnerships with short haul low cost airlines as a means of expanding their network breadth and supporting their growth aspirations. For long haul operators, connecting traffic is critical in scaling sustainably, especially as very few long haul destinations generate enough demand to justify year round capacity, while their partners benefit from additional traffic growth in short haul markets. Legacy carriers, who have long ceded competitive ground to short haul LCCs, could see history repeating itself as long haul-short haul LCC partnerships gain more momentum and disrupt full service carriers’ long haul networks. 

• Does the group strategy lend itself best to delivering connecting traffic?
• How do long haul-short haul partnerships enable growth and scale?
• Are these new partnership arrangements set to disrupt network carriers’ long haul operations?
• How seamless are self connecting platforms and virtual interlining? What role can airports play in enabling connectivity?
• In which markets do long haul-short haul LCC partnerships proliferate?
• Can long haul low cost carrier operate as stand alone entities without short haul partners?