But for United, Ted is no joke. It’s its newest weapon against the low-cost, low-fare carriers like Southwest that keep stealing market share. Starting in February, Ted will fly 106 daily flights, mostly out of Denver. Along with the promised low fares, Ted aims to have a kind of JetBlue style, with “edgier” entertainment, better food and even its own beer.
Ted appears to be an answer to Delta Air Lines’ funky spinoff, Song, which has performed well in its first eight months. Song’s mission is clear: it flies vacation routes to Florida. It behaves like a separate airline and doesn’t share Delta’s hub system. Song’s name was chosen to appeal to women–Delta says women make the travel plans in most households.
But some industry analysts find Ted puzzling. Like Song, it’s aimed at leisure travelers. But Ted will simply take over some existing United routes. What’s more, it will use its parent’s Denver hub, so some United passengers may find themselves unwittingly connecting to Ted. “All they’re doing is taking a United airplane, repainting it and putting a few more seats on it,” says airline consultant Michael Boyd. The only clear winners, according to Boyd: aircraft painters.
