jimworcs
What is so special about airlines that they need such protection?
Ahh, what indeed?
It used to be the shipping lines that were seen as part of a country's international prestige. Ships were 'flying the flag'. Then shipping was overtaken for speed and glamour by the airlines in the 1950s and 60s. The shipping lines faded as the ever larger aircraft took, first, their passengers and then their freight. They had to 'flag out' to save money and then reinvented themselves for cruising whilst the container ships completed the take over of the freight market.
Airlines still have the glamour for the politicians and press hence the public thinking so as well. We regularly hear the Brits refer to the 'flag carrying British Airways' which is technically incorrect as the airline is no longer nationalised, but having a Union flag painted on the a/c is still seen as a vital bit of marketing.
In all of this, the Americans are still behind Europe on the place of airlines in the national psyche and that is a big part of this. Further compounded by the events in the Middle East and the USA feeling vulnerable on all fronts.
BUT ... this is just a simple exercise to maintain jobs for their own companies who pay the wages of the American govt and it's agencies and that is perfectly clear and understood. It would appear that the new airline has not correctly met the current regulations. They might have chosen this route to see what they could get away with but there will be no doubt that they will have a plan 'B' and 'C' to put in a different structure. That will happen pretty fast and the airline will operate a bit later than planned.