> Anyway, it seems like some more consolidation among the majors will be
> needed in the future. There isn't really a need for more than three
> major airlines, probably AA, DL (merged with CO and NW), and UA
> (merged with US).
Absolutely. The reason the airlines are in this mess is because Congress
refuses to let any major airline FAIL.
Unfortunately, that's what capitalism requires for success. In a truly free
market, the surviving airlines would feed on the carcass of a truly bankrupt
airline, plucking the profitable routes and leaving the deadwood behind.
In our current dream-world of "protected deregulation", Congress keeps
bailing out failing airlines, allowing them to continue operating at
below-profitable levels -- which means they can continue to charge less than
what it really costs to fly the routes, which, in turn, means that NONE of
the airlines can charge what it actually costs to fly.
Until the Feds let Northworst and Delta fail, this situation will continue
to get worse.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"
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