TSA Is Pushing Big Airlines Towards Extinction

[Kennah]

TSA "cop a feel" cops are contributing to the demise of the large airlines. Just two years ago there were the Big Six: American, Continental, Delta, Northwest, US Airways, and United. Today there are four after the Delta/Northwest merger and then the Continental/United merger. The big airlines continue to contract. There is persistent talk of an American/US Airways merger.

Wiki lists 20 "major carriers" with more than a $1 billion in annual revenue.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major_carrier

Major carriers won't all disappear, but the biggest will shrink or disappear.

TSA policies will reduce air travel, shrink airlines, and probably reduce the TSA workforce.

Perhaps there is a silver lining, but unfortunately we're decades away from a functional network of American bullet trains.

[HopeHoops]

1. Trains are better anyway.

[donheld]

13. Getting from one place to another by train is next to impossible

In most cases.

[TransitJohn]

14. Yeah, and they conveniently do not run anywhere in my state.

n/t

[mediaman007]

2. How do you spell m-o-n-o-p-o-l-y?

This flying was expensive before, try one airline.

[NeedleCast]

10. Yup, that's the end game

Technically speaking the airline industry already has a monopoly because of lack of real competition and the fact that if you want to get somewhere far away in a timely manner, a plane is really your only choice in the U.S.

[NashVegas]

3. Airlines and Other Corps Die Because of Their Own Business Practices

Including, but not limited to, running on massive debt.

[apnu]

6. Yup, those dinosaurs were going to die anyway.

The TSA is hurrying the job a long, that's all.

[phantom power]

4. Maybe, but I suspect the crappy economy is by far the biggest factor behind airline reductions

[DBoon]

5. Weren't arilines one of the first "deregulated" businesses?

The alternative to regulation by the government is regulation by a private monopoly

[Old and In the Way]

7. Funny how that works.

We'll end up with one airline, one agricultural business, one product distribution network(Walmart), one car company, one media outlet, etc. Extreme, unregulated capitalism ends us up in the same place that a state controlled economy exists.

[Greyhound]

8. Mismanagement and looting are why the majors are, and have been, insolvent.

They were in or on the verge of bankruptcy Sept. 10th 2001 and the "opportunity" of 9/11 was used to keep the looting by management going.

[NeedleCast]

9. I don't think TSA has much to do with it

Declining customer service combined with escalating flight costs and fewer scheduling options are more likely to have been the primary thing impacting people's desire to fly. While I have no love for TSA, they're not any better or worse that what was in place before and anyone paying attention to their safety ratings/tests should know that both before and after 9/11, airport security is a complete joke. As with most things, TSA is always planning to protect against the last threat, not the next one. Thus ridiculous actions like removing shoes and limits on liquids carried onto a plane.

The restriction on liquids is actually a boon for the airlines as liquids are heavy and even a small reduction in flight weight means a savings on fuel used. On a macro scale, that adds up to a lot of money.

Edit to add: The economy has a lot to do with it too. People can't afford to fly as much right now. Over the last 10 years, the only years that total passengers has declined is 2001/2002 (due to 9/11) and 2008-current (due to recession/depression).

[lib2DaBone]

11. March into Fascism is complete..TSA leads the way...

...corporte control backed by govt power is complete.

You will have your crotch searched.. your pockets turned inside out... you will be humiliated and taught to OBEY.

[Kennah]

12. It is very true ...

... that the airlines have been mismanaging themselves to the point of collapse for years. http://www.pbs.org/kcet/chasingthesun/innovators/florenzo.html">Frank Lorenzo contributed more than his fair share. TSA, I would suggest, is helping deliver the coup de grâce.