There are always going to be requirement for seats - lots of 'em. However, there is a widening gap between lo-co's and scheduled services and it is most likely that the latter will be the losers, some evidence of that is already with us.
What must be worrying is the prospect of a massive downturn in pax wanting to go abroad. After the shoulder months have gone the charter carriers will find it tougher and tougher to sell seats to a market that will have gone into decline. The balance sheets will start to look precarious. The problems that brings, as in previous years, could once again see the weaker airlines failing.
The problem is not going to go away. The probability is it will get worse. It will certainly need nerves of steel and a good reserve of cash to survive. Then the worry of next year starts all over again as people will more likely than not have the money for holidays.
Unless the government can stop the greed of the oil moguls, this one single commodity is causing airlines to dip into their dwindling profits which, will in turn, cause a repeat of airlines going bust.
The knock on effect is too terrible to think about but think they must - or die.