Must be some great kool aid!
Now just be sure that your attorney presents this fact during the arbitration hearings. Didn't matter then, doesn't matter now. I like the kool aid on the East that thinks they wouldn't have filed Chapter 7 in October 2005. That, in fact, there was a secret white knight. I'm sure it would've happened.
Heck, not only was AWA close to BK, we were in it!1991-1993. And very close to it in 2001. And, according to the big Z document, close in 2005. Close is a subjective word. How close? probably the document doesn't say. They had a plan though, by gum, a plan. Certainly having a plan, doesn't mean certainly filing for BK. But, I grant you, (and this came from DP) had things not turned around in the industry, and pricing power hadn't improved, and if fuel prices had gone much higher, and we hadn't been able to line up additional financing,and if we couldn't get concessions from our employees,
then we would've had to file BK (ch11).
For Sure!
But hey, if it makes you feel better, AWA was certainly not in the position to buy USAir. They needed outside money to pull that off. And, AWA certainly was no Southwest. They had no good long term business plan. It wouldn't have lasted forever by itself either.
Ugly married Ugly (pretty much shotgun style)