Originally Posted by pipe

It's a business. If investors with deep pockets agree that all of the "ifs" above are reasonably likely, they will invest. Let Kirby take this hedge to private investors if he thinks it's a winning bet.
I'll give you one guess as to why he isn't driving the stock price through the roof with an announced plan to be ready to "pounce" next summer by keeping unneeded pilots. I'm confident that no sane business person would consider making this "investment".

Pipe