Jay Honeck wrote:
There isn't really a need for more than three
major airlines, probably AA, DL (merged with CO and NW), and UA

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.

As I sit here in my home office preparing to do a show and tell with 9
people across Europe, it occurs to me that it may take a bit of a
technology roll-back for continued airline success.

There was a time when I boarded a jet once or twice a month just so I
could meet with a customer/teammates in another city for a couple of
hours. I just watched a ridiculous airline commercial where 'the boss'
is looking for 'Bob' who he saw earlier this morning. The office staff
tells him that 'Bob' doesn't really work here but flew back home to
Chicago an hour ago. Just like he does several times a week to supply
the 'software' for the office. What planet were they on when they came
up with that one?

You run around major US and European international airports and you see
the 'usual' collection of heavy iron moving people around the globe.
You go to Tokyo or Sydney or Singapore and you find out where the
world's 747s really go to work. Is it a coincidence that the
Asia/Pacific rim region is the only major industrial region where you
can't quite depend on the net to do real time work? 5 minutes from now,
when you can use the net across all borders, where will the giant ships
go? (a bit of an exaggeration...)

There's a lot more going on than just competition and regulation.