<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quotearen't most of the US airlines getting hand-outs of one form or another) and the British airlines (who to be fair have to stand on their own 2 feet).
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I would agree with the thrust of your argument about competition from Low Cost airlines being a good thing.

However your quote above is not accurate. It is USA based Airlines that are in dire financial trouble because they do not get financial help. Some have gone bust and Delta and US airways have been teetering on the edge of bankruptcy.

BA had debts written off and in fact the USA Government have made official protests that UK(and French) airlines receive an indirect subsidy by the British and French goverments supporting Airbus with funds. That practice started with them giving Concordes to BA and Air France(sorry Lucy)