DAS -- you're 100% right.

The airlines need our help now, and I'd argue that it's far more patriotic for Americans to buy a r/t liesure ticket right now than to fly a flag.

Take a trip in the next few weeks -- preferably a domestic one, and you'll help boost the hotel, restaurant and tourist-attraction industries along the way, too.

It would be obscene if bin Laden & his ghouls manage to kill United, Continental or others ... clearly the terrorism has done deep and long-term damage to commercial aviation, but it does NOT have to be fatal. Not if enough Americans resolve to fight back.

If we make empty excuses and simply complain 'the airlines were in trouble anyway,' then we're doing nothing to help. If we each try to encourage friends and business associates to fly, and if we each buy one or two r/t tix -- even discount fares -- we'll at least have taken a shot at helping rescue the airlines.

Airlines face at least two major challenges now: Immediate and mid-range financial crisis, and the risk of long-term consumer fear.

FlyerTalk members can make a dent - admittedly a tiny one, but nevertheless a dent - in the financial end. But our presence on planes will go a lot farther toward restoring confidence of the legions of flyers who simply won't fly right now.

Blaming the media misses the mark -- the press says the airlines are flying at 40 percent capacity because the airlines ARE flying at 40 percent. If enough Americans helped raise load factors to 70 percent, that's what the media would report.

And higher load factors -- with film of plenty of travelers at American airports -- would go a long way to drawing back the business and leisure markets that the airlines MUST regain to survive.

For my part, I WANT to see DL succeed -- watching its first flight out of Hartford last Thursday was the most inspirational and patriotic sight I'd seen all week. It meant a lot more to the future of our quality of life & to our fundamental freedoms than a half-dozen flag rallies.

If one act of terrorism can dismantle the heart of our transportation system -- with all the collateral damage that will do to our economy -- we as a nation will be the weaker.

God bless the workers of the airlines for their bravery in flying after Sept. 11, and God bless the passengers for showing true patriotism and courage.



[This message has been edited by Don (edited 09-17-2001).]