[jimworcs]

I most certainly didn't suggest that re-regulating the industry would make non-refundable tickets refundable. I am arguing that a properly working competitive market makes companies much more responsive to the customer. As the US government has decided to protect the US airlines from the normal constraints of the market, the airlines are not faced with the normal consequences of a company which fails to be responsive to the customer.. ie, bankruptcy. The airlines have been de-regulated and protected from their creditors (many of them repeatedly) and this totally distorts the market against the consumer. I would argue that to correct this, the airlines should be re-regulated and subjected to normal competitive pressures of any other industry. That means taking away protectionist measures, such as the ridiculous rules against foreign airlines competing in the US market, ownership rules designed to protect them and regulating more rigorously where airlines have a monopoly in certain markets and routes. These pressures would then force the airlines to behave competitively and this will drive up customer service and responsiveness.