The industry could change alright, and the public isn't going to like what it turns into one bit.
(if airlines value customer service, airlines will bend to meet the need or be remembered in nostalgic thoughts...the airlines don't hold the public hostage. Customer service...you know what that means? I doubt it and neither do the airlines)
1. The national airline transportation system cannot adjust to such wild swings in demand as has been experienced in the last couple years. It's obvious that G.W. and the "gubment" doesn't give a s**t.
(the business models of airlines need to change...federal involvement into private enterprise? Nahhh. Then you will see the airlines owned by the government...hahaha they will hire the pilots, just like they do prison guards and parking ramp attendants and pay them the same. The fact that airlines cannot adjust to changes in demand is their problem not the government or the TAXPAYER'S...it was widely written that the industry KNEW for two years before 9/11 that a downturn was on the way and even though they knew their was going to be excess capacity, they bought planes anyway. The taxpayers should pay the burden for that?)
2. When the economy recovers and demand increases, the significantly reduced capacity will result in grossly increased ticket prices, like has not been seen before.
(no...capacity will spur more swa and jet blue type airlines and there will be expansion at the remaining majors... after a tree is pruned, it grows better than before)
3. Airlines will start packing in the seats like a cheap European charter operator.
(no...only if you get your wish of a single government subsidized airline...be careful what you wish for, you might just get it...you guys think the government cant run security worth a **CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED** (TSA) wait till you see what they do in way of an AMTRAC airline service)
4. Airplanes will be packed.
(when did empty seats pay the bills except in a government owned system like the city bus service where you see nobody riding)
5. Many smaller cities will no longer get service.
(one, why would you care dude...you like flying MERLINS for 15K a year? I doubt very seriously that you would accept a little puddle jumper commuter job, flying a Shorts Skyvan into some little town. In many smaller towns the people are DRIVING to the hubs...people in Green Bay drive to MKE, MSP and ORD to save money on those rediculous fares airlines charge for that service and the extra security is a pain in the butt...people are now driving to MSP from MKE, it is so much more convenient now days and cheaper)
6. Air travel will deteriorate even deeper into "bus travel" ambiance.
(you are countering yourself here...Just like at Mcdonalds when you get to 1 billion served, something is lost...if you want airline travel to be special, price it out of reach of blue collar white trash and it's counterparts and it will look a lot less like a bus and more like the transportation for the well to do...ooops forgot, the well heeled have their own planes and either fly them themselves or hire corporate pilots or buy into fracs)
7. Employee attitudes will suffer as a result of grossly cut compensation.
(those still working in the airlines after the fat is trimmed off of the hog, will be feeling so lucky they STILL have jobs, they will REMEMBER who the CUSTOMER is and restore good service to the people that pay to ride on the plane)
If you think it's ugly for airline employees now, see what's it's like for customers in a couple of years.
(airline service has sucked for so long...you will never see empathy from the business travelers. As you know when you stop in a fast food place...the general public is willing to eat food in a place where the floors are sticky, the bathrooms are dirty and smell and the food is served like slop...they'll accept the same old crapy service from the airlines, just as long as it only costs 189 bucks to go round trip coast to coast.)
I think what you are proposing is a single, government owned airline, where like majik no one gets laid off, the checks always cash and if the airline needs more money, the government will print some more up to keep it running. Well guess what, turn on the news...if people aint working, nobody is gonna spend money on airfares, both business class or coach class vacationers and since the government is broke also...the government subsidized airline concept aint gonna work either. You should know that...college boy. When the tax base shrinks, for example when everybody is laid off or just plain out of work (like what's going on now), then the government has LESS money to spend, unless they raise taxes. Bush will be signing the same death warrant HIS daddy did, by raising taxes to float your job buddy. "READ MY LIPS, NO NEW TAXES".
I think when times are so tough right now with the economy on the skids, people laid off and jobs disapearing every day...that some guy banking on his tax payer paid skills and biatching about his high paid flying job not being kept afloat by taxpayers...cause there might be LESS service? Well, it kind of makes me sick...especially when the WELFARE of that whole thing depends not on profitablility, but government handouts. Did I say welfare?
