Remember when "state aid" was a dirty word?
 

A few years ago, American carriers thought it was unfair that some European carriers and Airbus received state aid. In recent years, the major US carriers are doing the same thing.

A lot of us outside the airline industry are hurting and wouldn't mind free money. I can see how the government might pay for security much as local government pays for the police to patrol (where they patrol the commercial streets more).

A compromise is conceivable where the airlines become more efficient, but managing a company and workforce is easier said than done.