If you're hoping for an economic recovery that will aid the airline industry, RAH's purchase of Midwest is a very good sign. Usually, aquisitions are a sure sign the economy has either bottomed or is growing. I would go with the former right now.

Here's the bad as I see it though. Were I a pilot on furlough from RAH, I would be very unhappy that the money is available to buy other airlines, but not keep me employed. That's probably a poor way to look at things, but that would be my view.

I do hope these purchases are a sign of better things to come for the industry though.