We don't think it will just be between airlines. We think it will be also be between airports. The better the services offered to the traveler, the better for the traffic. Europe's airports are crowded, in spite of the current sluggishness in passenger numbers, and slots are at a premium. And any improvement in Europe's overall economy is likely to increase these pressures.
Planning is made more difficult by the constraints of nature.
Western Europe is small compared to the United States, and land is at a premium. Also, European airports tend to be close to population centers, adding to the environmental debate over new construction. During that time, we could have gone into another boom and another recession. Airports are dependent on airlines in more ways than one. Airport planners must make predictions about the direction of technology.