The U.S. Department of Transportation coined the term in 1993, to describe the considerable boost in air travel that invariably resulted from Southwest's entry into new markets,[1] or by another airline's similar activity.
An MIT study released in August 2013 found newer, smaller airlines were having a greater impact on lowering the average price of a ticket where they fly.
At the same time, JetBlue, Allegiant, and Spirit Airlines were associated with dips of $32, $29, and $22, respectively, in markets that they entered.
However, other airlines' lower fares don't account for the ancillary products that are a significant component of their business.
The article also draws attention to JetBlue's much smaller footprint in overall domestic passenger traffic, making any claims about a widespread effect much more tenuous.