1) Would the star alliance partners have to take the flight over? Including domestic legs?

They wouldn’t have to do anything. Most likely other carriers would fight for the routes or just buy the gates/landing slots outright and run the routes themselves.

For example, in La Guardia Continental actually owns the gates used by USAirways. The current rumor is that we’ll (CAL and ExpressJet) will retake their gates and assume the flights or possibly start new flights out of LGA as a result.

2) Would I get a refund from the bankrupt airlines?

Pay with a credit card to have them protect you. Anything else and you’ll be left hanging. Chances are there would be a class action lawsuit to recoup passenger ticket losses but you’ll be in a long line of creditors, all of whom have a lot more money at stake.

3) Would I get a refund from the star alliance?

No. The other partners of the Star Alliance are not responsible for the financial obligations of any other partner. US tanks and that’s it. Other carrier may honor ticket for a fee and only if space is available but I wouldn’t count on it.

4) Would I get nothing at all, loose my money?

More likely yes than no. The only way you’ll get money back is if your financial protection offered by your credit card covered such an event. They might have a clause stating if you buy a ticket from a carrier in bankruptcy that they aren’t responsible for any losses. Buy at your own risk. Check with them before you make any purchase.

What if I buy a ticket from LH to fly on a US Airways operated flight, and US would go bankrupt. Would that change anything?

Yes, you won’t have an airplane, flight crew, fuel, rampers, gate agents, dispatchers, crew schedulers, catering, etc. You get the idea.

I think it would be very interesting and informative. There are quite a few outstanding shutterbugs here who have some great skills that they could share.

I wonder how much of that noise is engine related or airframe related. Some aircraft have fairly quite engines but the airframe screams as it passes by.

I’m curious where the Airbus widebodies would fit into that depiction.

Ah, to get to do an aircraft delivery flight.

The lighting on the Swiss aircraft is outstanding.

I wonder if an actual study was done to compare the noise signature of the B777 or B747 to that of the B767.

I believe that the mod was for the 733 through 735 series as well. I think I remember reading that the rudder servos on the 73NG’s have been completely changed as a result of the problems they had with the older jets.