Gilbertguy, I don't profess to be a legal guru or anything...but UAL's locations in very populated and powerful political areas like California(LAX/SFO) , Chicago area and the DC area (IAD) does give them alot of political support in these matters.
Being the 2nd largest airline in the world only brings them more political clout and subsequint support too.
It's hard to imagine the loss of global prestige that the US would feel..should it allow a company with UAL's reach to go under.
U's alignment with UA only adds to thier ability to fill the seats to areas that we don't offer service...which is sadly alot of places both here and abroad. That aspect alone increases the cost of our revenued passenger miles too.
U is not without it's support in Washington either. Many Politicos fly the Shuttle (Obviously)...but our main areas of influence and geographic alignment (CLT and PIT)The politicians have not been verbal enough to suit me. Senator Spectre of Pennsylvania has always been a great supporter of U..especially regarding his pet concerns in PIT and PHL..however the retiring Senator Helms of North Carolina has not been verbal enough IMHO...health issues have slowed Jesse...but Elizabeth Dole will be taking his seat very soon.
Our Junior Senator in N.C , John Edwards has not done much to support U at all...he was almost non-involved during the UA/US Merger talks...and sense then , he has been galavanting about testing the waters for a possible presidential run in 2004 or maybe 2008? He trying to cruise on his boyish looks...but he really lacks substance and name recognition in national terms (IMHO)
I feel strongly that U would be in much better shape...if we had alike support in the House and Senate..as does UA. Then again UA has more votes to cast by shear employee count than U does by comparison.
I think UA will be OK regardless...but they like us will not emerge in the same size as which the entered these troubled times...frankly none of the big 6 carriers will...The Flying Wal-marts are the ones making the gains on our numerous weaknesses..and continued failure to address the actual problems that hamstring this airline.
To draw a final conclusion..UA might have the legal leverage to buy U's assets..but i'm inclined to think that it would be only in a piece meal fashion. This would make us no more than buzzard picking for what happens to be leftover. Nobody is interested in us as a whole...and they really never have been.