More No-Frills Fares on the Horizon
Rock-bottom fares once unique to low-cost carriers like Spirit and Frontier may, in the coming months, be offered by all three of the nation's legacy airlines, American, United and Delta.
Great news for you and your wallet, right? The answer isn't so clear-cut.
超低價機票過去是精神航空公司和邊疆航空公司這類廉價航空公司的專利，也許在未來幾個月裡，美國的三家老牌航空公司美利堅航空、聯合航空和達美航空也會提供。
對你和你的荷包而言這可是大好消息，對吧？答案不是那麼明確。
Spirit Airlines cemented its no-frills reputation a couple of years ago when it declared itself the "home of the bare fare": a ticket that doesn't include a seat assignment, a checked bag, even water. Frontier also offers bargain fares that don't include seat assignments, in-flight entertainment and checked or carry-on bags as well as a slightly more costly package called "the works," with privileges such as being able to choose your seat and bring a carry-on bag. Unwilling to lose customers in certain markets where the low-cost airlines fly, major domestic airlines are rolling out their own no-frills fares.
精神航空公司幾年前鞏固了它在陽春飛航市場的名聲，自稱為「裸票價之家」：機票不包含預先劃位、托運行李，甚至飲水。邊疆航空也提供折價票價，不包含預先劃位、機上娛樂和托運或手提行李，另並推出稍微貴一點的套裝票，稱為「全套」，有一些特權，例如能選你的座位和帶一件手提行李。美國各大國內線航空公司不願意在廉價航空飛的某些市場流失顧客，正推出它們自己的陽春票價。
Delta was the first to take the plunge, introducing "basic economy" fares on routes where it wanted to compete with discount carriers. Basic economy tickets do not include advance seat assignments. They cannot be changed or refunded (after a one-day grace period). And there are no free upgrades for anyone.
達美率先決定冒險一試，在它想要與廉價航空競爭的那些航線推出「基礎經濟」票價。基礎經濟票不包含預先劃位，也不能更改或退票（在一天的寬限期之後）。而且任何使用人都不能免費升等。
Last year Delta put a number of changes to the fare rules into effect and announced that basic economy had spread to more than 450 markets since its introduction in 2012. Now the other big domestic carriers plan to follow suit. United said during its quarterly earnings call in January that it plans to introduce an entry-level fare "that will appeal to the purely price sensitive customer" in the second half of this year. American Airlines said during its quarterly call that it will roll out the first phase of a basic economy product in the same time frame.
去年達美把一些票價規則的變更付諸實施，並宣布基礎經濟票價自2012年推出以來，已擴展到450多個市場。現在，國內線的其他大咖航空公司也計畫跟進。聯合航空在1月的每季財報視訊會議中表示，計畫在今年下半年推出入門級票價，「將迎合只在乎票價的顧客」。美利堅航空在季財報視訊會議中表示，將在同一時期推出第一階段的基礎經濟產品。
For the most cost-conscious travelers, no-frills fares allow them to afford certain trips that they might not otherwise have been able to take. And, of course, no-frills fares are good for the airlines.
對那些最在意花費的旅客來說，陽春票價讓他們負擔得起某些原本可能無法成行的旅行。而且，當然，陽春票價對航空公司也有好處。
（紐約時報,Stephanie Rosenbloom,田思怡譯）
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