EasyJet and Southwest lead the way Available to Purchase

The airline industry was dealt a hammer blow by the terrorist attacks on the USA last September. With passenger confidence damaged, many large carriers are facing desperate times. But in among this chaos the low‐cost airlines are proudly flying the flag for air travel. For many large airlines already suffering with the economic downturn, 11 September 2001 was a bitter blow. Passenger traffic fell by as much as 40 percent in the following weeks and reflected a huge loss of confidence among the travelling public. Capacity reductions, route cuts and job losses all became disappointing inevitabilities.