Southwest Airlines, however, are not thrilled about it.
The article argues that big airlines and unions are worried about average people being able to afford private flights. With over 4 million private flights a year taking off from private terminals (FBOs) that have little to no security screening, it is becoming easier for the average person to bypass big airlines and travel privately.
American Airlines and Southwest Airlines offer charter services which promote bypassing TSA, and companies like JSX offer first class and private terminals accessible to the public. JSX programs allow customers to buy individual seats on a private jet rather than chartering the entire plane, making it an affordable luxury.
Although United Airlines and JetBlue are not bothered by this development and have even invested in JSX, American Airlines and Southwest Airlines view it as a threat. The article suggests that these big airlines oppose this due to fear that they will lose their monopolistic control over the market.
The article further presents the argument that these airlines are hoping to leverage regulatory bodies like the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to hinder the growth of such private flight businesses in order to protect their dominance. However, the author argues that the FAA should not cater to these attempts to limit competition and consumer choice, but should instead promote this evolution in air travel which offers more options and potentially better service to consumers.
