Completely disagree on them not knowing what they don't know.

First, these guys came from an LCC years ago. They know eactly what bottom line ops cost are and what it looks like on paper. Remember these are the guys who at one time charged passengers for soda (when they ran LUS). Their bottom of service is so low many at LAA have no clue how far down these people can drive a product. They know what's happening too, they have analysts and data menons who can read the matrices and see the whole story. Isom can do it himself.

Also, they themselves cause a massive amount of the product dissolution. They (specifically Isom) drive the D+10 nonsense. The downward pressure put on station managers by them falls to punishment on agents and rampers if flights don't move on time. They know that and that's why they pit management against workers. Managers get huge bonuses and profit sharing returns for pushing employees to move metal 10 mins early, no matter the human cost to frontline employees and passengers. They give basically zero to the employees for all the pressured work either. As they barely get any of the profits....they are just happy they didnt lose their job this week. They know the product and moral will suffer as a result. They justify it by saying it's what the "business" customers wants and that makes everything in planning come together. They (upper management) set up their bonuses on DOT times for a reason as well. D+10 is more about A-14 then you think. It ensures that we move early and almost guarantees an early arrival....thus a bonus

Lastly, and there is more, stock buyback is not a shock when most of upper management is paid in STOCK. It's brilliant. They are vesting their own money with company money. And of course, stock payouts are taxed even less than regular pay and bonuses.

You'll keep thinking they don't have a clue, when it's us that don't. The cash register is ringing so nothing is wrong. Low interest rates are their justification for debt spending and loans. Add in low fuel, and pretty soon you see Parker and friends owning sports teams like the Paul Allen's, Mark Cuban's and Jerry Jones's of the world....you know for fun. (That's mellow dramtic)