Actually I think what the Southwest/Ryanair model has allowed other companies to do is to use it as an excuse to cut costs. Companies now say we have to compete with FR on this and on that and therefore we need to cut costs. In reality it is far far easier to cut costs to generate profits than it is to actually grow revenues, yields and profit. That would involve branding, proper marketing, and understanding what it is that your customers want which costs a lot of money in itself. The easy fix is to chop out costs. Of course it is only a relatively short term fix for most companies. By the time the secret is out the CEO would have moved on to pastures new and the workers that are left will be on inferior terms and conditions or have moved on themselves and the place will be full of transients willing to work in the short term to make a buck.