Since its inception in the 1920s, commercial air travel has steadily grown. At first available only for the discretionary exclusive use of the wealthy, air travel is now an indispensable tool of business and the world economy. Today, with the competitive marketplace dictating routes and fares, it is now possible for almost anyone in the developed world to fly almost anywhere. It is critical to remember that the airline industry is just that—a business—and the key to business success is efficiency. No matter how romantic the image of air travel may be, airlines exist only as long as they are able to provide a reliable service for a reasonably profitable price. Starting in the United States in 1978 and gradually spreading around the globe, the economic deregulation of the airline industry has profoundly changed the face of this critical enterprise by greatly expanding the market...