If they could afford to keep costs as high and make the required ROI they would. The likes of Qatar, Emirates and Etihad have a far superior product as they can reign in excessive labour costs filed under "unions" and er "basic human rights". No legacy European or US carrier can beat them at that game. Hence the hard product is pared back yoy to keep profits where they need to be to make any activity worthwhile. Sad but true.
On short haul, the locos just keep gnawing away at market share, trading is tough.
The market has changed since Landor and Lord King's day.