The nation's air-service net-work is still reeling from 9/11, economic doldrums, its own bloated capacity, waves of defensive fare-slashing, and ex-pensive fuel. But along with the daunting challenges has come an opportunity for CFOs: to reshape their airlines to fly profitably in the industry that emerges from the wreckage. Indeed, airline finance executives are taking charge as never before. Three of the four lowest-cost major carriers have put their former CFOs at the helm: Gary Kelly at Dallas-based Southwest Airlines Co., Larry Kellner at Houston-based Continental Airlines Inc., and Doug Parker at Phoenix-based America West Airlines Inc. "I think CFOs are emerging in the airline industry," says Aaron J. Gellman, a professor at the Northwestern University Transportation Center. "Before deregulation [was begun in 1978], the CFO sort of rolled with the punches. It wasn't a critical issue that he be top-flight (no pun intended). The financing was done formulaically." One lesson that legacy carriers are learning from Southwest and other successes, he says: "Always put finance people in a key role counseling senior management."
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机译：美国的航空服务网络仍处于9/11倒退，经济低迷，自身膨胀的能力，防御性的降价浪潮和昂贵的燃油之中。但是，伴随着艰巨的挑战，首席财务官也面临着一个机会：重塑其航空公司，使其在残骸中崛起的行业中盈利。的确，航空公司财务主管正在前所未有地承担责任。在四家成本最低的主要航空公司中，有三家曾任其首席财务官：位于达拉斯的西南航空公司的Gary Kelly，位于休斯顿的美国大陆航空公司的Larry Kellner，以及位于凤凰城的America West Airlines的道格·帕克西北大学交通中心教授亚伦·盖尔曼（Aaron J. Gellman）说：“我认为首席财务官正在航空业中崛起。” “在放松管制之前（始于1978年），首席财务官大受打击。他出类拔萃（绝非双关语意）并不是一个关键问题。融资是按惯例进行的。”他说，传统承运人正在从西南航空和其他成功中汲取教训，他说：“始终将财务人员置于咨询高级管理人员的关键角色中。”
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