Anyone who believes that most of the upper management of almost any significant publicly traded US carrier is in this to 1) run a great airline or 2) do anything for the people in the company is living in some kind of distorted dreamland. They are in it to make money for themselves. The endless bankruptcies demonstrate that they are not in it for the shareholders.

The days of trying to be the best airline ended long ago. Now it's about being the cheapest operator in order maximize short term benefits for upper management. No more. No less.