Eastern Air Lines Seeks Up to 10 Planes in Brand Revival

Airline start-ups may find it tough to attract funding at a time when the largest U.S. carriers have endured bankruptcies and consolidation to emerge as disciplined competitors, said Richard Aboulafia, aerospace analyst with Teal Group, a Fairfax, Virginia-based consultant. "Investors realize the big guys are getting their act together and are no longer egg-laying dinosaurs," Aboulafia said. "The idea of adding more to the fray when everybody seems to have their costs in line with market reality — that's just a very bad idea."