Southwest started low-cost airline travel over 30 years ago.Its the best in the business(best low-cost,best airline)but unfortunately,its spawned some very poor imitations,incl Ryanair,easyjet and others.The true art of low-cost is to provide cheap air travel and yet still maintain high standards in the way you treat passengers and your employees.Pilots,fa's,mechanics,reservation agents... all have a part to play and are all respected in Southwest.If you're treated well,you want to treat others well.Its only human nature.It seems that a lot of folks are prepared to put up with being treated badly in the pursuit of low cost air travel,which is what enables airlines like Ryanair to get away with blue murder.And pilots are so scared after 911 of never getting another job,that they'll sign on the dotted line to fly with these airlines that have no respect or integrity.Why do Ryanair hire most of their new pilots straight out of flight school?Because they have no pre-conceptions and can be easily moulded.And they're cheap.Why is easyjet offering Capt positions to senior F/O's(unheard of here in the States).
You can take the shell of low-cost(point-to-point,secondary airport utilization,quick turnarounds)but if you dont nurture brand loyalty,both with the public and your employees,it wont work.It might work for a time,but your people are always looking to jump ship,so you're on borrowed time.One accident..and they'll be gone.And then you're just another Valujet...who btw werent rude folks at all,just incompetent.