I'm taking this from what friends of mine (non-aviation type of people) have already written me after the show. The questions you raise above are too far into the weeds for the scope of a 0:57 minute Frontline report.

I, as a pilot, and someone interested in the aviation world would have liked to have seen more detail, but for those just learning about this type of business practices for the first time it was all good information IMO. One person inparticular even believed what the one family said on the show - - that when she bought a ticket from Continental that she expected it was on the actual Continental Airline. When I pointed out to her that it also said that the type of aircraft would be a Q400 for example right there on the itineary, her response to me was "well do YOU always read all the fine print on everything?"

Nope...I don't, but I have to admit I've never felt unsafe on any regional or mainline flight that I've ever been on. Maybe I have been lucky or maybe a HUGE majority of those pilots really were well trained and as professional as I have always believed them to be.

Overall - BRAVO Frontline. I hope you have more investigative reports on the aviation industry - and next let's get this on Primetime.

USMCFLYR