[supdatecron]

+1 to this. I think it was 4 years back, the oil prices dropped hard and the airlines bought futures quantities in large supply to hedge for future needs. It was a smart strategy

[UncleEntity]

...then they sold the futures when prices went back up to make a quick, tidy profit.

Except Southwest -- which had the other airlines whining because they had an "unfair advantage" with their locked-in lower prices.

[rym_]

Wow, do you have a source for that last part?