Here are your answers:
#1. No, not a chance.
#2. Sometime next year.
#3. They'll ask for $$$.$$/hour, but realistically only get ~20 percent above current.
#4. LAX is the obvious favorite, but OAK has a small chance.
#5. That will probably depends on the price of oil.
#6. A company builds up a big cash reserve for that (or tries to anyway).