Example: "Bill was the flag carrier of the movement to improve inner city education."

Some experts said no flag carrier was better than a second-rate one.

This was one third of what the major, established "flag carriers" were charging at the time.

Also, as a general rule, the flag carrier may not attempt to free any of their teammates from jail.

"No one thinks of car brands as being flag carriers," she said.

If the losses become too great, "it may change people's minds as to whether every country should have a flag carrier," he said.

The airline was designated as the country's flag carrier in 1987.

The national flag carrier does not produce a profit-and-loss statement.

On the one hand, the industry has been pushing away from government subsidies for national flag carriers.

Singapore's flag carrier is sitting on almost $600 million in cash.