Us Airways Miles For United Tickets:

[diverboy]

some airlines like Southwest do not have ticketing agreements with any other airlines.

We took N7's passengers on a standby basis for free (however the boarding priority was that of OA NRSA) or were offered the lowest price available waiving advance purchase requirements for a confirmed seat.

 

[EyeInTheSky]

Airlines were required to pick up some of each other’s passengers in the event of a carrier shutdown as a result of receiving government aid post 9/11 but there are limits (I don’t happen to know the specifics); most of National's passengers got home on other airlines because of this requirement but it may not apply any longer. Other than that, there is no requirement that airlines must carry each other’s passengers; each airline signs agreements with other airlines in order to carry tickets; some airlines like Southwest do not have ticketing agreements with any other airlines.

WorldTraveler, you are correct Congress passed of the Aviation and Transportation Security Act in November 2001; Section 145 of this act requires air carriers to provide service on routes they operate, to the extent practicable, to passengers who hold tickets for those routes from carriers who have ceased service. Furthermore, Section 145 states that passengers holding valid paper or electronic tickets from insolvent or bankrupt carriers for a particular route are entitled, at minimum, to transportation on a space-available basis on any airline currently serving that route. Airlines may recover costs of providing the transportation, such as the direct cost of rewriting a ticket and meal costs. The department does not foresee those costs exceeding $25 each way. There's only one problem with all this it was only valid until May 19, 2003. There have been no extensions.