I think a lot of what is going to change depends on the economics of these niche airlines. Maxjet and EOS, for example - they seem to be doing very well (we fly them to london - fairly booked at all times) - but is it possible to be profitable with a small number of high-end routes?

If so, then I could see the major airlines becoming purely for the casual flyer, with a series of higher-end airlines for frequently traveled routes. Perhaps maybe the light commuter jet takes over at the high-end for the edge routes? But I think its pretty clear things can't go on like this - with the "high-end" major airlines like UA continually cutting service at all tiers, not just for the casual traveler.

Matt