In a message dated 12/11/2003 8:44:10 AM Pacific Standard Time, BraniffIntl@xxxxxxx writes: << Yes indeedy...until those upstart third world countries realized they could provide the same service, pocket the dough and put their citizens to work in high paying jobs. Plus getting arrogant Americans out of their lives helped local politicians stay in office! My beloved Braniff International had a slug of Fifth Freedom authorities in Latin America. When the routes were "leased" to Eastern, those freedoms went away and you could no longer buy a ticket from La Paz to Ascuncion on EA. Talk about a niche market! >> yeah, and then their airlines get purchased by some mismanaged larger airline and die. I can think of a Venezuelan and an Equadorian example to start. Oh, and who can forget ACES