"I don't think Atlanta has held its breath like this since the Civil War started". Delta Air Line's CEO Gerald Grinstein, September 8, 2004 ...Also from our local consumer Ombudsman, Clark Howard. Clark said... Is it a good idea to buy a ticket on an airline that might go bust just because the ticket is cheaper? Yes! Buy them up while you can. USAirways will most likely shut down and its assets sold off, but you can still get great deals. Delta is also on a path toward bankruptcy. The company may settle with stockholders in order to continue operations, but it?s really up in the air. And United has been in bankruptcy for the last few years, unable to get out. So, what does this mean to you? Well, fall is usually a time for lots of promotions. But this year, you?ll get even more great deals because of the downward spiral of these three airlines. Just make sure to reserve on a credit card. If you have frequent flier miles on USAirways, it goes without saying that you should use them soon. Try to use them with one of USAirway?s partner airlines if you can?t use them USAirways. The same goes with United and Delta. And if you have a card that earns frequent flier miles with one of these airlines, it?s time to get a new card. You can always get miles on different airlines through American Express. I can?t say which of these airlines will shut down or if any of them will, but you want to protect yourself. The employees of these airlines are the real sufferers here. It?s been especially tough for USAir employees, who have already been through layoffs, years of uncertainty and reorganizations. But it?s great news for consumers. The airline industry is going through severe restructuring, so it?s a game of wait-and-see. If you?ve bought a ticket on a airline for a future trip and that airline goes bust, you?ll get the money back but you probably won?t get a trip. If you don?t like the uncertainty of buying a ticket on one of these airlines, don?t buy from one of them. But if you are flexible, you?ll be fine. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com