re: #530 buzzsawmonkey

I find it interesting that the airlines, despite reducing their service to steerage conditions, are constantly teetering on the edge of bankruptcy.

Intercity bus service has practically vanished.

Amtrak does not pay for itself.

Yet people still need, constantly, to travel with relative rapidity from city to city, and find driving too expensive and inconvenient.

How the hell do all of the forms of cross-country transport manage to consistently keep themselves in the red?

Look to Southwest Airlines….they keep labor costs lower than their competitors. They also do other interesting things. They offer low rates and good service. They only fly one type of aircraft, - Boeing 737. Their mechanics need to only learn one jet. They cross train their workers, instill a positive attitude. They avoid cities and airports that charge huge gate fees. They target regional travel rather than global travel. They do not over leverage themselves and “hope for the best” like most of the other carriers these days.

I am in the air freight business and Southwest is the best airline to deal with for domestic freight, hands down.