[Joe Bonforte]

I don't think I agree with your analysis. It may be true that the number of airline passengers lured away is fairly small. But those are the most profitable passengers the airlines have.

Taking only four or five percent of the airline's highest paying passengers could prevent the airlines from ever regaining profitability with their current model. If that happens, they'll all follow Eastern, PanAm, USAir, et. al. into oblivion, leaving only the newest, most nimble competitors such as Southwest.

[StolarStorm]

You're correct about these being the most profitable passengers. No doubt that the big boys will have to change their model a bit to more like SouthWest, but many of them will survive. The pie may be shrinking a bit for the majors, but it looks like capacity is about to decline (U and United). International will also continue to be strong and that is a market segment that Southwest doesn't compete in... and I don't expect these micro-jets to be much of threat there either.

[StolarStorm]

You're correct about these being the most profitable passengers. No doubt that the big boys will have to change their model a bit to be more like SouthWest, but many of them will survive. The pie may be shrinking a bit for the majors, but it looks like capacity is about to decline (U and United). International will also continue to be strong and that is a market segment that Southwest doesn't compete in... and I don't expect these micro-jets to be much of threat there either.