I've often wondered what it would take to make the industry respectable again. I'm not advocating pilot induced delays but everyone agrees passengers want low fares...until they realize that low fares won't get them to their destination.
The profession has become a glorified fast bus...if you want to get to a destination quicker you pay a little more and get a taxi. Hopefully the public will see the need for a higher ticket price for better service, better airplanes, and qualified flight crews to get them to their place of interest. But maybe its just a pipe dream.