ATPMBA
Airlines need to raise ticket prices or go out of business.
Whilst there are enough carriers still around (legacy or LCC) they cannot do that. The standard process for carriers will be to have their prices as low as possible and chase the pax. It is still a buyer's market - but not for very much longer.
Once the recession is in full swing, a number of companies will fail and be either bought out, or just their customers picked up, also total pax numbers will fall a great deal. By the time it is all over - probably take another 24 months for the worst of it - then we will see what is left and prices may very well be higher. Capacity will also have been reduced significantly.