http://www.startribune.com/business/...UvDEhiaE3miUsZ

Read the comments section. Many people believe all the MAC needs to do is tell Delta they can't have so many gates, and the other airlines will then magically begin additional service to new cities.

I don't think they understand the industry, and I think they should be careful what they wish for.

Some things that I question about the article.

He talks about other airlines increasing market share, and names Southwest ( a new entrant) and US Airways as examples. He claims U.S. Airways grew from 117,000 passengers in 2005 to 900,000 last year, but this is likely entirely from their merger with America West, and so that number is misleading. I would also guess that since US Airways is no longer serving LAS from MSP, that number is now smaller. Air Tran has grown their market share, and that is a good example.

He is using data about total enplanements. The merger did mean that some markets were better served by connecting some passengers through different airports, and so they are able to right size markets and get rid of redundancy. But when he talks about the health of the airport, he should be using O&D numbers, which still remain strong.

For all these reasons, I don't get the sense the author doesn't have enough background information to be writing an editorial like this.