Airlines forced to court leisure passengers with deals......

1 ~~~ Airlines forced to court leisure passengers with deals, perks and new destinations ~ USAToDay ~~~

They used to fly solo, often toting briefcases instead of daypacks, and filled the front of the plane, taking full advantage of perks such as ample upgrades and free cocktails.

Now these same business travelers are showing up with their families as leisure travelers clad in shorts instead of business suits. As vacationers, they are ready to take trips despite concerns about the coronavirus pandemic. 

That's forcing airlines to treat leisure passengers with more respect simply because there are no longer business travelers – the airfare fat cats – to help fill planes.

When it comes to a recovery in the airline industry, "we've said from the beginning that leisure was going to lead the way, mainly because businesses are still really trying to figure out what it's going to look like when things normalize," Paul Jacobson, Delta Air Lines' chief financial officer, told analysts on an investment firm conference call last month.

www.usatoday.com/story/travel/airline-news/2020/10/05/covid-19-travel-airlines-courting-leisure-flyers-deals-perks/3596521001/