Gary L. Nunn wrote: >Regardless of the cause, this could very well be the beginning of the end >for the airline industry as we know it. Confidence will be virtually zero. > I wouldn't write it off just yet - we're not going to go back to zeppelins and cruise liners without some other major cultural change (ie one that promotes a slow down of our frenetic pace) This airliner was on its way to the Dominican Republic - how else would people get there? Think of Australia - it's a 2 day drive between most of our capitals, and an east-west crossing is a major undertaking (we don't have towns in the middle like the US).
What will probably change is greater use of teleconferencing, and greater use of trains (on the US East Coast at least). Until teletourism (VR?) becomes reality, the airlines will continue. Grandparents will want to visit babies, retirees will want to see the world, businessmen will want to close the deal, and tourists will want to tour... My closest friends, my assistant at work and my brother are all flying (separately) to the US at Christmas time, and all have discussed airline fatalities with an attitude of que sera. Sure is sad for the victims of the crash, though - and for American Airlines. Russell C.
