Commentary: Big Airlines Should Follow Midwest's Recipe

Maybe it's the cookies. By rights, Midwest Express Airlines should be struggling these days. Passenger traffic for the industry is growing at a paltry 2% annual clip, and Corporate America is rebelling against ever-rising fares. Instead, Midwest, the nation's 17th-largest airline and one that depends heavily on business travelers, has been flying high, with first-quarter operating profits up 20%, even though the industry's performance is off 31%.

That's where Midwest's fresh-baked, still-gooey chocolate-chip cookies come in. Served on afternoon flights, they're part of a Midwest Express strategy to win business customers by offering the kind of flier-friendly service that other airlines advertise but don't always deliver.