why not ask the taxpayer? after all, when there was foot n mouth, the farmers asked for help from the government (aka the taxpayer). when the banking crisis came to a head, who was it that bailed them out? Correct, the government (aka the taxpayer). and with regards to the bank crisis, thta was their OWN DOING! at least with the airlines, this was FORCED upon them (ie, they could not fly, rather than chose not to fly!)