Boycotting United Will Never Work. Here’s Why

A string of megamergers has given the four largest airlines a monopoly-like grip on U.S. air travel. Sure, everyone knows that—but did you know how tight that grip is and what it means for you as a customer?

A lot of people are thinking about that after Sunday’s violent treatment of a United Airlines passenger by Chicago airport security workers. Why would a business ever think it was OK to allow a paying customer to be assaulted so its own employee could take his seat?

Part of the reason may be that you, as a customer, don’t really have a practical alternative to punish the offending company. American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines, and United now have 85 percent of the market, compared with 55 percent in 20071492096419048. Like all monopolies, they have less pressure to improve customer service or fret about losing passengers. They’re certain you’ll be back. And it’s not just airlines: As of 2015, market concentration hit a three-decade high.