eli5: How are airline companies profit margins so thin?

Question

Theres like 5 companies in the US that handle ALL the flights. How do they still have thin profit margins despite being the only options?

Edit: spelling

In: 72

Answer 1

they dont. they just each spend billions buying back their own stock every year to manipulate its price and then they come to us taxpayers with their pockets turned out when the industry hits a slump. its just another scam.