I have a question about this statement. Please don't take this as a disrespectful challenge, but as in an opportunity to educate. I admit to a severe lack of knowledge about this companies operating procedure. Imagine for a moment you are an instructor in an airline business class and I'll ask a question and you answer it.

What is the motivation to deceive about how these profits are calculated? As I understand it, it is in the companies best interest to be forthright about its operating costs, correct? In order to maintain or increase the value of a companies stock, it has to be honest with it accounting procedure. Wouldn't omitting fuel cost from its operating cost be a glaring dishonesty? Especially if it wants to "sell?" Does not Eagle have its own subset of financial statements?

I understand that there is a round of negotiations with the mainline and the negotiators would like to be able to point at certain aspects of its financial statements to gain leverage, but it sacrifices stock value if it does. Most companies have a major goal to increase the value of their stock. I would think that being deceptive (or just too liberal) with their accounting practices in order to gain negotiating leverage at the expense of their stockholders' trust would not be in the companies best interest. Am I missing something here?