ABSTRACT
The airline industry has been in the news quite frequently since September 11 2001. Almost all of the news has been of a negative nature. The airline industry is notorious for losing money. Together the financial situation of the airline industry, especially in the United States of America (USA), has been between disaster and catastrophe. The industry seems though not to lack those willing to invest so, if not state subsidies, maybe the industry can be financed by rich aviation aficionados who forego their usual business acumen for the sake of aviation glory. The industry is full of aspiring comedians who like making bombastic pronouncements. There are numerous jokes regarding that subject like the one asking how to make millions in aviation. Since Herb Kelleher leads a very profitable airline his comment indicates maybe the cyclicality of the business rather the absolute inability to make money in aviation.
