Edit post

Edit your reply below.

Post Body
Enter your post below.
[quote user="DwightBranch"]   Airlines in the United States have covered their costs over the long run and provided a return to their shareholders, although many of them have gone belly up, and none of them make a lot of money.  They pay for their proportional use of the airways and airports in the United States through fuel taxes, fees, inventory taxes, income taxes, etc.  Not even close to true. From Wikipedia( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airline) : Historically, air travel has survived largely through state support, whether in the form of equity or subsidies. The airline industry as a whole has made a cumulative loss during its 100-year history, once the costs include subsidies for aircraft development and airport construction. Here is another article (http://www.johnkay.com/2005/09/27/airlines-and-the-canine-features-of-unprofitable-industries), first printed in the Financial Times that was famous at the time. But it is well known that US airlines lost more just in the months following 9/11 than they have earned as profits in their entire histories. Finally, I find it ironic that you complain about my tone and then resort to a patronizing name-calling about children and the real world. I don't know what "real world" you live in but suspect that it is operated by the Heritage Foundation or some other pseudo-scientific  libertarian group. [/quote] For the five year period ended December 31, 2011, America's major carriers (gross revenues of $20 million or more) reported combined operating profits of $7.4 billion.  These results include the significant losses in 2008 and 2009, which were terrible years for obvious reasons.  Net income was $(.5) billion.  The combined net income loss was due almost entirely to the losses sustained by American Airlines in 2011.  These figures come from the FAA.   I dig out the figures. When you do the same I might take your assertions seriously. An over arching statement from Wikipedia is not likely to carry a lot of weight with me.   Airlines, bus companies, history, and other country solutions are irrelevant to the question of where does passenger rail fit in America's transport scheme.  What problem is it addressing?  Is it the optimum solution and, if so, under what conditions?   You have no idea of my political views.  But you are not the first college professor to accuse me of being a right winger.  My true view might blow your socks off, but political views are not a legitimate subject for these forums.
Tags (Optional)
Tags are keywords that get attached to your post. They are used to categorize your submission and make it easier to search for. To add tags to your post type a tag into the box below and click the "Add Tag" button.
Add Tag