If things got *really* ugly, I would expect Congress to step in, and possibly nationalize the trunk airlines for an indefinite period, keeping separate brand identities and work forces, but running the financial back end, including eliminating a lot of competition, re-regulating fares, and setting labour contracts. (NOT the Amtrak model, thank you!) Then, after the Middle East war is over and there is some economic recovery in a new business cycle, the airlines could be re-privatized. Another prospect is a forced merger of insolvent or semi-solvent airlines, with a government-named trustee and board running them. After 9/11 I actually proposed that several of the ailing trunk carriers be merged into United and American, leaving two "healthy" mega-airlines as a competitive duopoly. -- Michael C. Berch mcb@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx