Burgers,
The US Airline industry is in chaos. Every single one of the major carriers has filed bankruptcy and had to restructure. In the process, they shafted their suppliers, ripped up employee contracts, messed with staff pensions and walked away from many of their other obligations. Meanwhile, their management walked away with huge "performance-related" bonuses and massive unjustified salary and incentives. They were then rewarded with anti-trust immunity, protection from competition, protection from foreign ownership and allowed to form anti-competitive "hubs", which control the markets. Persistent historical losses indicate a failing market, not incredible "consumer value". There are many international airlines which compete on price and quality of service and are profitable. If you look at skytrax, you can track the decline of the services of US based airlines and their reputation internationally.
You are clearly a successful businessman... it is surprising to me that you would consider the market for air travel to be working in the US given the barriers to entry for new airlines, the strength of the hubs and their anti-competitive impact and the decline in service standards. These things are not inevitable, but it seems US airlines and their costly and extensive lobbyists appear to have convinced the public it is.
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