Originally Posted by
oswaldjacoby
United is losing so much money that there is a distinct possibility that it could eventually just go away. So there is always the risk that the cuts could be 100%. It is hard to imagine how United is going to be able to survive without another trip to the bankruptcy court, and perhaps they could use that to reorganize into something that is not a red ink machine. But there is always the probability this wont be successful and United will cease to be.
My
very non-expert thought about this is that basically all US airlines are in the same boat. Today's WSJ even discusses the problems Asian carriers are having and the possibility that they will cut routes, especially long-haul, and particularly to the US. Increasing oil prices will force a nasty game of King-of-the-Hill -- who will be left standing when the dust settles. While clearly there is a risk UA could "go away," I think there are too many variables out there to know for sure...any of the majors could go, and with them a framatic -- and sudden -- decrease in capacity. Brutal.