Sept. 13, 2004: Arlington, Va.-based airline US Airways Group filed for bankruptcy a second time in the post-Sept. 11 era. At the time of the filing, common wisdom suggested the airline would not survive another bankruptcy. In the months that followed, the common wisdom seemed correct as the airline tried to wrestle concessions from its unionized employees. During the Thanksgiving holiday week, ground crews called out sick and allegedly lost luggage to show their displeasure with the tense negotiations. Ultimately, the airline won the necessary concessions from the unions. In addition, it cancelled new plane orders and leases in order to save money. The cost-saving efforts drew the interest of discount carrier America West, which agreed in May 2005 to merge with US Airways in a $850 million deal. The merger allowed the airline to exit bankruptcy. —Matthew Wurtzel
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