There have been a number of airline industry watchers who have private and (sometimes) publicly expressed concern that American Airlines’ case with the DoJ on the subject of competition was hurt by American’s ability to turn a profit right now.

American Airlines has indeed earned a Q3 profit and it was a respectable one.

Delta Airlines had a Billion Dollar 3rd Quarter.  $1.6 Billion to be exact.

While you digest that news, consider that Delta doesn’t have the lowest costs around this town.

So, when we consider that the airlines of size (Delta and United) and what they’re able to produce for themselves in profit, consider the size of the warchest that that gives those two airlines.

And then explain how the much smaller American Airlines and US Airways are going to fare against those behemoths.

Filed under: Airline News, Mergers and Bankruptcy by ajax