Giving wing to no-frills flights

In the history of airline pioneers, William Franke is a name most airline passengers have probably never heard.

But the 80-year-old managing partner of Indigo Partners in Phoenix is considered by many industry experts as the man most responsible for the creation of the ultra-low-cost carrier in the U.S. His private equity group has invested in and overhauled airlines including Spirit and Frontier, which offer dirt-cheap fares with a long menu of passenger fees.

The success of such carriers has forced American, United, Delta and other major airlines to re-examine how they do business to compete.

Although the fees have raised complaints from passengers, Franke says he is confident that Americans eventually will become accustomed