In good times, companies work "at capacity" and all the problems are between the owners and the managers. If managers fsck up, the owners will deal with them, or lose their own money. If something fails, people will still excpect those products, other companies will take the workers, etc. (so if you're a pilot, AA goes under, people will still need to travel, so other companies will need more pilots). In the time of crisis (like now), (almost) noone flies, and no company needs pilots (neither their own, nor new employees). In some countries (eg. mine, slovenia), the government has also forbiden flights (and other modes of public transport). In this case, where you have a successful company, and the government says you're not allowed to do your core business, but also not allowed to lay off employees, and they still expect all the taxes, dues and paycheks paid, ...'something' has to be done (either bailouts, or special laws (like here now), where you don't have to pay some government fees, can put workers to "wait for work" (less pay, but still employed), etc.).