I'm so glad your bias finally came out. Guess what, the US still exports more free enterprise to the rest of the world than any other country. If you think things are lousy here, I would suggest you fasten your seat belt because the world is only getting more global and the US airlines are going to be much better prepared to compete in it.
In case you've missed it, the US and EU are apparently making significant progress in securing a new aviation agreement that will expand travel over the Atlantic and probably consolidate it into a couple players. I am rather certain that DL has mapped out its expansion w/ that reality in mind.
The reality is that one way or the other, DL will end up with the ability to fly from the NE to London on equal terms as the incumbent airlines. The sticking point in these talks all along has been not just legal but practical access to Heathrow and Gatwick. If the non-incumbent US airlines don't have legal and practical access to all European airports, the deal will not happen. The risk for European carriers is that DL and CO and AA will continue to take bigger portions of the transatlantic market and dominate countries that do not have strong home carriers. AA, CO, and DL are finally reaching a large enough combined size outside of the big hub airports that the European airlines are threatened enough that they are willing to give up some position in their hubs in order to get a piece of the market outside of their home countries. The two can happen."
Hope you don't mind me jumping in here?!
NOW, free enterprise is exported from the US to the rest of the world, huh? But so is 3rd world pay/benefits in the from of Wal-Mart, US Airways, and soon to be included here: Delta, Northwest and UAL.
The airline employees of the EU better watch out, because your benefits, pensions and pay are in the sights of big business. Look at what has happen to most pensions in the US, and believe you me the EU managers will scream bloody murder, they have to have the same to be able to compete! Matter of time, hopefully you'll take a stand...
This started long ago, as the Republican wave came over the Land, though the cycle is most likely over within the next 10-15 years, give or take. But it'll take years of negotiating to get back even a small percentage of this.
My own feeling is that these fromer CH II companies should have to give up their overseas rights, and have to earn them all over again. We wouldn't want to export 3rd world conditions to the rest of the world, now, would we?! (MSY)
SoftLanding