t they have to do it carefully, gierly, one might say. and this raises a kind of philosophic probm.t together and fix these prices, then they are iniolation of the antitrust laws and can be fined, and their executives thrown in jail. if, on the other hand, they gingerly form a tacit understanding that firm "a" will be the price leader and that it will set prices for the whole industry, taking the interests of its rivals into account, en we ofteget simireconomic ress of course, there is yet 'sstill another wayl. to bring order into e oligopolistic price process -- ha the goverent set prices for you. the airline industry has been deregulated since 1978. and it's true that uno fas ome ,att pre? ng e seats, unequaes, ys, ishis undrst of comaints stified? has regulation been a success? what people may forget is that the airline industry is an oligopoly dominated by just a few g carriers. t it was an oligopoly with difference. for its fit 50 years, a fedel agency, the civil aeronautics board, , set the res and the routes. with one minor exception, the cil aeronautics board had not permitt