+1000 - Until industry consolidation happened airlines lost more money than they made over their entire history. Since consolidation the industry has been profitable in a way never before believed possible for airlines so much so that Warren Buffet decided to invest in the industry as a whole. UAL just posted a Year over Year increase in profitability and raised their full year earnings guidance in the face of a 40% increase in fuel cost and did so while sticking to a 5% growth strategy AND reaching their highest customer satisfaction rate since the merger.

Also, everyone posting or following this thread should realize that the OP is NOT a legacy pilot, but merely an aviation enthusiast.