and what they will "put up with." Airlines aren't going to forego profits. So if the consumers demand cheaper flights, (which we do because consumers are getting smarter with things like kayak, hotwire, priceline, etc.,) the airlines will make their money in other ways. 10 years ago they weren't making enough cash so they started charging to check bags, then change fees. You've probably heard the oft-cited argument that airlines now ONLY make money on fees, they break even on everything else.

Right now the seats are shrinking so that airlines can fit a few extra seats on and make a small profit. If they don't put 10% extra seats in, they will just raise everyone's ticket price by 10%.

I was listening to a rant about this a few weeks ago. Back in the day, businessmen and wealthy people flew and wore suits and ties on airlines, (and smoked). Now, Southwest and others have "democratized" the skies. It used to be that if you wanted to get from SLC to LA you would drive or take a bus, but now it is 89 bucks on southwest. So you get people dressed like they are homeless who take off their flip flops and rest their stinking feet against the other person's seat. I can't complain, my family is able to take 3 or 4 trips a year that we wouldn't have taken before because of cost, but the results are that the flights are much crappier, smaller seats, bad food, etc.,