I can only suggest you go back about a decade before the boom of low-cost airlines, when it was largely British Airways or two-bit regional carriers operating from the regions when flying on any kind of "service" was ridiculously expensive for the standards that you received. Whilst you may not always be able to get the lowest fares which are advertised, you are now able to get regular, scheduled, value-for-money service from your local airport. Also consider that there are people who are able to bag the cheapest fares, that is those who manage to book when the seats come out on sale, and even the last minute fares will be considerably cheaper than one proposed by a legacy airline, or the price of having to drive to an alternative airport. The wording "low cost airline" does not mean low fares, it means their operating costs are low, often with cheaper fares being offered to the customer as a result.