"mrtravel" wrote in message
.. .
Jeff Hacker wrote:



Southwest is profitable WITHOUT a government bailout. You prefer your
tax money to subsidize corporations?


America West and US Airways received government guaranteed loans. The
other carriers haven't. And that includes American and United, the two
airlines whose airplanes were commandeered on 9/11.

They received money that didn't require repayment.

Huh? With the exception of the relatively few and very small cities covered
by the Essential Air Services Program (which pays a subsidy to airlines like
Big Sky, Mesa, etc.) to serve a very few and very small towns, there are
now, nor have there been in years, any outright giveaways to any of the
majors. The "bailout" was a loan guaranty program only; unless the airlines
default (and, so far, even US Airways, which is in Bankruptcy, has not
defaulted), the govt. will have to honor those guarantees.