The hub system will never totally disapear but just right now there are too many. There is too much capacity currently in the air than there is demand. Airlines are loosing revenue and they need to bring their seats more in line with the actual demand. Your quickest and most efficient way of doing this is closing a few hubs. In the U.S as a prime if not the best example, there are over 30 hubs yet not enough connecting travellers to supprt this number. No airline wants to blink first yet the reality is that one has to as their operations are excessive in terms of economics in the current environment. Hubs such as Cleveland for Continental, St. Louis for American, Memphis for Northwest and Delta at Dallas are just prime examples but the airlines have a big promblem shaking them off to the extent needed.

It is the same in Europe. While airlines such as Swiss seem to have dropped airports such as Geneva and British Airways at Gatwick, the truth is that they cannot litterally drop hubs because the benefits they get from dropping are wripped out when they park those aircraft and the situation just intensifies. While I except airlines in Europe will continue to operate hubs, I think many will dissapear along with airlines due to the much needed consildation.