21.   Delta and Dallas-based Southwest Airlines are the only big airlines that have not yet cut jobs.

22.   Despite the seemingly fuzzy line, consumer advocates said the policy could nonetheless send a message to big airlines.

23.   Delta and other big airlines have cut summer schedules to offset reduced demand.

24.   Delta has posted losses for the first six months of the year, but compared with other big airlines is considered financially healthy.

25.   Embraer recently opened an office in China to make headway into what is expected to be the next big airline market.

26.   Earlier this year Delta welcomed remarks from President Bush stating that the White House would take steps to block strikes at big airlines.

27.   Even big established airlines benefit, it says, because they are forced to be more efficient and are thus better equipped to weather cyclical downturns.

28.   For Southwest, the decision to offer the fares to the consortium represents less of a departure from standard practices than it would for the other big airlines.

29.   Generally, the big airlines have been quicker to eliminate nonstop flights between cities where they do not operate hubs than to trim back service from their hubs.

30.   Gros points to Canada and Mexico, where in each case the two big local airlines have merged.