American and United, within hours of each other, announced that they had begun selling basic economy fares that push down the price of a ticket. (Susan Walsh/AP)The big airlines have jumped into the “basic economy” market, competing with the super-cheap airlines that cater to the most frugal passengers. Within hours of each other, American and United announced that they had begun selling basic economy fares that push down the price of a ticket. Analysts said the big airlines are going after the low-priced market more aggressively after watching the upstarts become so successful. The basic economy fares for those flights were $209 and $269.

Source: Washington Post February 22, 2017 20:31 UTC