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10 Comments

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  pointofview at 09:38 AM JST - 23rd June

  Airline services have become worse. You have to pay for everything now while onboard and the unionized staff are rude. Also, the unions are demanding too much: More and more benefits when they are already better than most other industries and ridiculous pay hikes. All comes down to the bucks.

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  nisegaijin at 10:11 AM JST - 23rd June

  If they become less regulated, some may survive. Too many costs are implemented because of government stupidity.

  they should cut amounts of flights, then cut quality of service, cut compensation for delayed or cancel flights such as staying at hotels and meals, and so on.

  I mean nothing is more pleasant for a passenger than to get on a half empty flight, but in reality those hurt airlines like hell. Airlines should be able to re-arrange flight schedules so they get more people on one flight. Regulations don't allow that, so they are loosing money.

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  timtak at 10:42 AM JST - 23rd June

  Why is it that Japantoday keeps posting news about US airlines. From the heading I thought this would be about Japanese airlines. If you are going to write about a non-Japan related country then at least put that country name in the title.

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  sf2k at 11:22 AM JST - 23rd June

  Actually airlines in Japan are not fueled from Japan but from Middle East imports. Japan isn't alone in this, and is the fate of all of us. Note that there is zero jet fuel replacement (in equivalent megajoules per gallon) so as oil becomes less available eventually they will just make airlines implode irrespective of their national origin. It's just a matter of time.

  On a side note, given the amount of kerosene in use in Japan for general heating, there will also be a domestic competition for the making of jet oil fuels instead of kerosene or vice versa? I think people given a choice would want heating oil. As stocks go down this will be a challenge.

  Dozens of airlines go under every year according to Wikipedia, so for a major carrier to go down won't be long now. Given the costs in Japan for imports that might make for a telling comparison.

  Funny enough, it will be the airlines themselves who will beg to be taken over by the government, and in all but the USA that will probably happen.

  Oil is dropping by 3-5% per year. (IEA Paris Nov '08) Eventually airlines have to cut down under the pressure at some point.

  Before the next decade ends, (Not long now) it'll be trains for continental travel, then planes over water or back to ships. Japan and Europe are okay here, with genreal trains and shinkansen/TGV currently taking up far more percentages of personal travel than in North America since they are not taken over by the car.

  Trains can also be electrified reducing the need for diesel oils. With oil dropping, any system electrified will be out of the demand/supply loop stabalizing services. Thus a drop will encourage more electrification.

  I wonder though about Australia and New Zealand given their remote locations. Are thus more likely to have gov't controlled airlines as a matter of public need.

  Anyway, it doesn't matter, once the airlines go, Peak Oil will be well underway and should be considered the canaries in the coal mine.

  You have seen End of Suburbia documentary right? Go rent it or bittorrent it now. You'll be glad you did.

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  vajra at 11:25 AM JST - 23rd June

  Nobody in US wants to travel due to crashes, fears of terrorism, and getting stuck on planes for hours .

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  Monoflow at 04:44 PM JST - 23rd June

  What's the problem to resize the whole airline and travel industry?... A little step back to the basics should do it for mankind...

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  sydenham at 07:14 AM JST - 24th June

  How can shrinking help an airline’s bottom line?

  First, it saves money.

  wow. the fact that this question needed to be asked shows the appalling state of today's business world.

  you mean they can't just keep expanding forever in order to turn a profit? Lol!

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  Mittsu at 02:07 PM JST - 24th June

  some should go bust so the survivors can make good money providing good services

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  rajakumar at 07:19 AM JST - 25th June

  There is too many airlines,the good efficient ones must get bigger. The efficient ones, must buy up the shares of other struggling airlines.

  Just like in any other business,same rules of buy up apply in airlines business.

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  Stereofreak at 01:47 AM JST - 4th July

  Nisegaijin

  "they should cut amounts of flights, then cut quality of service, cut compensation for delayed or cancel flights such as staying at hotels and meals, and so on."

  I trust you either work for an airline or never have had your flight cancelled and do not shirk at the sight of masses of people sleeping in the airport, sometimes for days, unsure whether they'll be able to travel because of airline mismanagement.

  If a customer pays for a ticket, he deserves to receive the service that he has paid for EXACTLY as he has bought it. If they airline cancels a flight at the last minute, OF COURSE they should be held responsible for the harm inflicted upon their customers. Why should they suffer because the airline is trying to save a few bucks? Regulation for this kind of thing is good, it protects consumers from airlines taking advantage of their customers.

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