A Change in the Air

From 2001 to 2005 the airline industry lost a whopping $42 billion dollars as a whole. However, since this past summer changes have been made and helped to improve the industry all-round. John Weber, an airline vice president said "he doesn't believe September 11 did anything but maybe jump start the changes that the airlines would have made anyway during the last five years."
He went on to say, "It's the economy that drives the aviation business, not any single accident or terrorist event." The internet boom is actually what is believed to have had the mose impact on the airlines, not the attacks of 9/11, which are considered to be a "coincidence".
Another consultant to the business, Michael Boyd claims that the changes that many airlines have gone under are due to the events of that day in 2001. With airlines using less efficient forms of production, it is believed that the attacks boosted the renovations. In response to the events on 9/11, economists predicted a quick net decrease. However, actions were taken and the situation was improved.
Employment has been reduced by almost 40%, fuel saving modifications have been implimented, capacity regulations were changed, and more energy efficient planes have been produced. The question lies in whether these changes were a long time coming, or are a direct result of the terrorist attacks felt all across the world on September 11, 2001.