Part of the airlines position is the "as a regulated industry we are bound by the rules and speaking out against the rules will result in retaliation".

Another part is liability. IF something happens, and it is determined that the cause is a result of something the airlines lobbied for (eg, they lobby for looser restrictions and someone uses the looser restrictions to bring down a plane), then tort lawyers will have a field day. As will the government, which as we all know is seriously into the shift-the-blame-game (see Christie Todd Whitman's comments yesterday about WTC rescue worker protection).

The government takes responsibility and the airlines are glad to offload responsibility. It reduces risks and the chance of a big payout. Think of it as being akin to welfare, where the airlines become increasingly dependent on the government.