Not all passengers take pains to avoid the financially troubled carriers.

Industry experts say the airline has advantages for weathering the storm that previous troubled carriers did not.

And are troubled carriers under any obligation to follow them?

And the airline industry insists that its troubled carriers are flying by the book.

But it is still far from clear that the troubled carrier, the country's fourth-largest airline, will wind up a winner.

The investigation was considered a setback for two troubled carriers in an industry already in financial disarray.

It will take over Avianca, the financially troubled 85-year-old carrier, in about 10 days.

That would stimulate competition and provide troubled carriers with fresh sources of capital.

They provide more flexibility plus some protection to travelers should a troubled carrier stop flying certain routes or shut down.

Mr. Beauvais, the airline's top executive since it was founded in 1981, will remain chairman of the financially troubled carrier.