14
This fare seems to be so close to BCal, CPA and BA's equivalent as to be identical.
30.
Laker pointed to its lower operating costs per seat while CPA referred to the fact that only Laker puts 345 such seats into a DC 10. Authority to have much merit.
Neither argument seem to the
Laker's aircraft has no
At the
luxury class seats so he can get more economy seats, which have less leg-room, into an aircraft with no more discom- fort than in the rear section of his competitors. same time the cost per seat as a proportion of total
The aisle on a operating expenses is obviously less.
Laker DC 10 is slightly narrower than in the rear of a CPA 747 but the standard of comfort is probably much the
same.
31.
Ignoring the Laker full economy fare, quoted in his submission at $3,500, whichis bookable any time in advance, the Standard Skytrain fare is available to pas- sengers on the day of travel on condition that if a passenger finds that he can't get on the first flight out he is able to book on whatever is the next available one the "roll-over" facility. There are at least 138 Standard Skytrain seats on each aircraft, i.e. those not already taken by full economy passengers. As we understand it, however, this does not mean 138 such seats are made available each day as some, perhaps all at peak times, may have been taken by previous customers on the "roll-over" system. Laker says, however, that even if not offering a lower fare, this system of seat reservation has such appeal
He is to the public as to give him a competitive edge. offering a different product. He did, however, suggest that he might offer an option to book in advance for Standard Skytrain which would seem to bring it very much into line with his own full economy service and with what BCal in particular now offers.