In article , Captain Dondo
wrote:

wrote:
Sound Advice use the Delta FF tickets ASAP.


Well, I have reservations for X-mas on NW.... I hope NW will honor
those tickets if DL goes belly up....

Even if they declare bankruptcy (normally Chapter 11 to start), that's
*far* from going "belly-up." As the others have shown, it can take
YEARS for the process to drag out, and either come out successful, or
liquidate completely. But I'm sure you'll be fine for travel this
coming Christmas. That said....


As for other airlines honoring tickets from an airline that's ceased
operating, there are some limits. They're obligated to honor tickets
on a SPACE-AVAILABLE basis, at a charge of no more than $50 roundtrip.
I can almost guarantee that on a holiday travel week, there won't be
any space available -- they aren't going to bump their original revenue
customers to accomodate you.

That obligation is also limited to airlines that fly the same route as
the one that shut down. (For instance, if you had tickets to Boston,
Southwest wouldn't have to honor them to fly you to Manchester, which
is near Boston.) Here's the specific text from the Aviation and
Transportation Security Act:


SEC. 145. AIR CARRIERS REQUIRED TO HONOR TICKETS FOR SUS-
PENDED SERVICE.
(a) INGENERAL.‹Each air carrier that provides scheduled air
transportation on a route shall provide, to the extent practicable,
air transportation to passengers ticketed for air transportation on
that route by any other air carrier that suspends, interrupts, or
discontinues air passenger service on the route by reason of insol-
vency or bankruptcy of the other air carrier.
(b) PASSENGER OBLIGATION.‹An air carrier is not required
to provide air transportation under subsection (a) to a passenger
unless that passenger makes alternative arrangements with the
air carrier for such transportation within 60 days after the date
on which that passenger¹s air transportation was suspended, inter-
rupted, or discontinued (without regard to the originally scheduled
travel date on the ticket).

--
Garner R. Miller
Clifton Park, NY =USA=