united airline question? a little stressed about honeymoon

are any of you flying united for your honeymoon? i read in the paper that they have a 50% chance of going completely out of business by June 30th.

my dilema: my travel agent said that a different airline to hawaii at this time is much more money than we can afford so i dont really want to change. and if we wait to see what happens and they do go under, other airlines usually try to take people on their plane but no guarantee of date, time, or maybe also a price increase, which i dont want for my honeymoon.

so my options are to completely change my honeymoon to somewhere i can actually afford to fly, or stick it out and pray for the best.

what would u do?

We had a similar experience when it was our honeymoon. We booked our trip on TWA - then after 9/11 TWA no longer flew to the caribbean, so we were put on American Airlines at no extra cost. (AA honored our tickets). We found all this out 5 months before the trip so not sure if that makes a difference.

If I were in your position, I probably would either try to find another airline now to take you to Hawaii or find another honeymoon destination. I don't like to take chances -- but that's me. I just wouldn't want your honeymoon to be ruined!

Good luck!

i found the article. it is vague, and it was a financial analyst that said there is a 50% chance they could go under. i just dont want this to be another factor to stress my out so im tyring to figure out if i should change plans.

Liquidation possible if no cost cuts, United says
By Marilyn Adams, USA TODAY

With war possible as soon as Wednesday, United Airlines warned that liquidation is possible, and a credit-rating agency said American Airlines could be in bankruptcy court in April.

As war fears kept many fliers home, the airline industry's vital signs grew more ominous Tuesday. United parent UAL said in a bankruptcy-court filing that international flight bookings have been off as much as 50% from a year ago and domestic bookings 20% because of war jitters. UAL expects an $877 million first-quarter operating loss.

'Liquidation is a distinct possibility' if UAL doesn't get deep labor cost cuts through negotiations or the bankruptcy judge, the filing said.

UAL, which is in talks with its unions, has asked the court to let it void its labor contracts to cut costs.

Union leaders pledged to do what's necessary to keep United flying.

Meanwhile, Fitch Ratings said war creates a 'very real risk' that American parent AMR will follow UAL and US Airways into Chapter 11 reorganization under bankruptcy court protection. AMR is negotiating cost cuts with its unions. Without deals soon, 'management may decide to move (into Chapter 11) sooner rather than later,' said Fitch analyst Mark Oline.

AMR ended 2002 with $2.7 billion in cash, but $775 million was restricted. Daily cash losses exceed $5 million.

'There's a greater-than-50% chance' United could be forced into liquidation before June 30, Oline said.

UAL said in court papers its revenue through June is $298 million short of forecast and 2003 fuel costs could be up $300 million. Its chief financial officer is meeting this week with bankruptcy lenders to seek relief from cash-flow targets the banks set as a condition of $1.5 billion in loans. Knowledgeable people said this week the banks have discussed war scenarios with UAL and could waive the rules.