Why Have Low-Cost Carriers Been Struggling In Recent Years?

In the decade leading to the COVID-19 pandemic, low-cost airlines, especially ultra-low-cost airlines, were undoubtedly on top of the market. While some specific legacy airlines (namely Delta) hit their stride in the years leading up to COVID, the carriers that consistently posted the highest profit margins and maintained the most consistent profits were those that operated low-cost models. Let’s go back and look at the 2010s to understand how powerful low-cost airlines were within the market.