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> I don't see airships ever taking back a significant chunk of that market.

I would agree, not without a change in the market's parameters.

Environmental parameters coming into play can usher in such a change, though - I'm thinking of the lower carbon footprint of an airship compared to that of an airplane, that could push a change through.

I'm all for airships too, to be honest, as long as they are so cool and spacious as the one in Indiana Jones.

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It seems like we should be able to make a solar cell light enough to cover the top of an airship and use electric power. Most solar aircraft don't make sense because there isn't enough surface area to get a minimum amount of power to keep the aircraft aloft. Airships don't have this problem. The issues are weight and expense and being limited to operating only during the day. Cloud cover isn't a huge issue, you can rise above it.

Airships fly 2x the cargo with 2/3 the fuel a plane would use.

You could have luxury travel with dance floor and bar in the front and sleeping cabins and air freight in the back.

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