I met a kid who flies for Sky Dubai about a year ago, in Dubai. He left Com Air (or ASA?) a couple years ago to fly 737's in Dubai. Said he loves it there and he's not coming back, even if DAL starts hiring. Said he didn't want to take a pay cut to sit bottom MD88 reserve, living in a crash pad in NYC. Can't say as I blame him.

Supply vs. Demand, we have a huge supply of qualified pilots living in the USA, willing to fly for cheap, here, but the other countries obviously don't, so they have to pay more to get them to move there.

Now, back to the topic of the US Airline Industry. Why do so many Americans drive Hondas and Toyotas?

Better product, lower price, sometimes both.

Do you think that will change if/when foreign carriers are allowed to fly within our domestic system? If they offer a better product, at the same or lower price, consumers will be all over it, just like with automobiles or anything else. It's already happening with our International flying.

America has the highest average standard of living in the world, but now, thanks to Free Trade, we have to compete in the "Global Economy". Well, when you are at the top of the Pay/Living standards pyramid, and now you have to compete with the middle and bottom of that pyramid, you only have one direction to go, pay/living standards wise, and it ain't up.

You wonder why American Manufacturing jobs are going overseas, and American Worker's wages have stagnated over the past 10-15 years? That's why.