[BR][STRONG][FONT face=Arial size=5]United they fly, divided they fall - or is it hot air?[/FONT][/STRONG] [BR][BR][FONT face=arial,helvetica,sans-serif size=3]The troubled airline is looking to its Star partners to bail it out. How they respond is a crucial test for the alliance concept[/FONT] [BR][BR][STRONG][FONT face=Arial]Joanna Walters in Rio[BR]Sunday November 24, 2002[BR][/FONT][/STRONG][A href=http://www.observer.co.uk/][STRONG][FONT face=Arial]The Observer[/FONT][/STRONG][/A][FONT face=Arial] [BR][BR][/FONT][FONT face=Geneva,Arial,sans-serif size=2]Last week 15 airline chief executives, all male, middle-aged, dark-suited and booted, met behind closed doors in Rio to discuss bankruptcy, bail-outs and brotherhood.[BR][BR][A href=http://www.observer.co.uk/business/story/0,6903,846079,00.html]http://www.observer.co.uk/business/story/0,6903,846079,00.html[/A][BR][BR][BR][BR][BR][BR][BR][BR][BR][BR][BR][BR][/FONT]