You might want to give this a read. Real fares are down about 40% since deregulation. The amount attributable to deregulation is impossible to pinpoint, but the various studies attribute 20-35% of that decrease to deregulation.Did things really IMPROVE after de-regulation? Prices didn't seem to change at all for the past 50 something years. Think de-regulation only let some airline have some breathing room and not have to go through the process of waiting weeks to be able to change airfare prices, have approval of what type of sevice they can have, ect.
www.gao.gov/new.items/d06630.pdf
9-11 Bailouts: We've discussed; the government shut down the airlines for several days, and reimbursement for lost revenue was not unreasonable? What were all those bail outs after 9-11? Why is the oil industry getting subsides? Why does agriculture get subsides? What is social security? Medicare, Medicate? Tell me finnman if and when you make it to 65/67 when ever it is you can retire are you going to cash that socialist S/S check or are you to proud? Do you know any history of this industry you work in? How do you think it got off the ground? This industry cannot fend for itself and has lost more money than its made. Lorenzo style management seems to be the way nwa thinks it can make money but tell me what did that A-hole touch that ever survived. Long term I don't think this industry could make money if the employees worked for free.
Oil and Ag: I don't agree with them getting subsidies either, and I'm from a farming family.
SS/Medicare/Medicaid: Don't agree with them either, but since I've been forced to fund these programs my whole life, I will cash the check when/if I get any of my money back.
Airline Industry: In a couple years, after all of the necessary reorganizations have been made and some consolidation has occurred, the airline industry will be very healthy.