Success Quote by David Neeleman

Neeleman’s line is corporate optimism with a sharpened edge: it’s not just a prediction about airfare, it’s a bid to redefine what “cheap” is allowed to mean. The key move is the little qualifier tucked inside the sentence - “quality low-fare carriers anyway.” That “anyway” functions like a velvet rope. He’s separating the credible disruptors (the ones with decent service, reliable operations, a brand people don’t apologize for using) from the bargain-basement chaos that made “low-cost” synonymous with misery. It’s a linguistic upgrade of the category.

The context matters. Neeleman is the JetBlue founder, a figure who made a career out of arguing that airlines don’t have to choose between affordability and basic human dignity. In an industry long structured around legacy carriers cross-subsidizing comfort through complexity, the low-fare model isn’t simply a price point; it’s an accusation. It implies incumbents have been overcharging for mediocrity, protected by hub dominance, opaque fees, and the friction of switching.

The subtext is also defensive. “Continuing to become more and more popular” frames low-fare growth as inevitable, which conveniently makes resistance look like denial rather than strategy. It’s meant for investors, regulators, and consumers at once: a reassurance that the shift is durable, and a warning to legacy airlines that “premium” can’t just mean higher prices and loyalty-program math. Low-fare, in Neeleman’s version, is less a discount than a moral claim about what air travel should cost.