AA is up next year.

The 170 can be used profitably...the problem is Bedford was using 170's to cover a marketing schedule, and not to cover costs. We all know airfares are low, and 76 low fares will not put three hours worth of fuel in the tanks, especially at these oil prices. Sure, RAH could fly a completely full 170 from MKE to _____, Florida, but that full flight was losing money. Same goes for some of the flights from MKE and MCI to the west coast. The 190 has the ability to generate enough revenue for the long hauls, as does the Airbus (obviously). Bedford has finally realized that the 170 can really only succeed on sub-2 hour routes, or in real high yield markets. Those are few and far between once you get away from the East Coast, so the 170s have been shifted to contract flying. Like southwest realized long ago, if you can't fill a decent sized airplane (737, E190), then that route isn't worth flying. That's where EAS and government subsidies come in.

I agree. It's been proven over and over again yet these morons trying to run airlines (SkyBus, Express Jet, RAH) keep thinking they can somehow make it work. I think their egos are just to big to actually admit to themselves that in this hyper competitive market flying around 70 people for 80 bucks isn't going to make any money. Another thing that irritates me is that for years BB has been preaching about how much he thinks industry wide consolidation needs to happen and that there are too many competitors. Yet he goes off an buys an airline and tries to compete in a market that he has already stated is too saturated.

Happy Cinco de Mayo!