Were the Airline Bailouts Really Needed? Once again, we have socialized an industry’s losses and privatized its profits. Airline stocks, lifted by taxpayers, have risen nearly 200 percent since their pandemic low and almost recovered their losses.Credit...Erin Schaff/The New York Times March 16, 2021 A year ago this week, Doug Parker, the chief executive of American Airlines, flew to Washington to begin what became a yearlong lobbying campaign for a series of taxpayer-funded bailouts during the pandemic. He wasn’t alone. The campaign also included leaders from Alaska Airlines, Allegiant Air, Delta Air Lines, Frontier Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, JetBlue Airways, United Airlines, SkyWest Airlines and Southwest Airlines — all with their hands extended. The flight attendant and pilot unions were also part of the lobbying.