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"Boutique" airlines?

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  • "Boutique" airlines?

    Theres Legacy carriers, Low Cost and now Boutique, whom does this term apply to? and why? I heard it first time at another forum for Frontier, since then I have heard more small airlines labelling themselves as such.


  • #2
    Bangkok Airways calls themselves "Asia's Boutique Airline". I flew them BKK-MLE and service was pretty good. Food was served 2 courses, which surprised us because after the appetizer, we figure that was it, but the FA's came by a 2nd time and served a hot entree. Cabin was single class layout.

    Here's their website:

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    • #3
      Originally posted by billiam
      Bangkok Airways calls themselves "Asia's Boutique Airline". I flew them BKK-MLE and service was pretty good. Food was served 2 courses, which surprised us because after the appetizer, we figure that was it, but the FA's came by a 2nd time and served a hot entree. Cabin was single class layout.

      Here's their website:
      http://www.bangkokair.com/en/
      They are also doing well since they have a monopoly at Koh Samui.
      adaequatio rei et intellectus

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      • #4
        Some of the US LCCs could be considered boutique becuase they stray from the typical LCC model. Frontier and JetBlue fit this, Song can be seen as the boutique version of Delta. Midwest Airlines, pre-9/11 was a boutique carrier as well, but since they had to launch their Saver Service in order to compete, and dropped the hot meal service they were known for on their now "Signature Service", they're practically just like any other airline. Midway Mk.2 tried to be a boutique type airline, and Independence Air is as well. Virgin Atlantic evolved into one over time as well.

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        • #5
          Still dont know what it means, my conclusion is small airlines operating specific routes, so how come Virgin are in this category?

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          • #6
            Originally posted by LUNN
            Still dont know what it means, my conclusion is small airlines operating specific routes, so how come Virgin are in this category?
            Virgin's got a "cheeky" corporate image. It has some unique features, like being able to remove the center divider in its center UpperClass suites (only on a few of their 744s though) to allow a couple to share more space together

            They're also the only airline that has an in-flight bar area for its UC pax. I know SQ has a bar/lounge area on its 345s, but I don't think any other airline has bars consistently across its fleet. That makes passing a long flight easier, as you can spend a good chunk of time not having to sit in your seat, have a bite to eat and drink at the bar. Sure you can watch a ton of movies on their IFE, but you can do that on any other airline

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            • #7
              Originally posted by LUNN
              Still dont know what it means
              Basically, Boutique carriers are the evolutionary missing link of airline-service.




              You have your full service (Legacy) carriers on the higher end of service.
              (e.g., British Airways, Continental, etc)

              You have your true low-cost (LoCo/LCC) carriers on the lower end.
              (e.g., Southwest, Ryanair, etc)




              ...and in the middle, you have your Boutique airlines. They emulate various successful elements of both ends of the spectrum, often including:
              • The assigned seating of the Legacies, as well as the tendency to concentrate their operations throughout several focus cities (though no western LoCo utilizes a hub system in the technical sense)
              • the simplified fleet of the LoCo carriers, as well as their tendency to not shy from point-to-point routings
              Boutique airlines have also created something of a paradigm shift in service of their own right-- they ushered in several innovations (many of which you still see primarily among their ranks), perhaps the most notable being individual AvOD satellite television.
              Us, lighting a living horse on fire:
              http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dH2_Q3oJPeU

              Check it out!

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              • #8
                That was very helpul ConcordeBoy, thanks.

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