This may not be very palatable to some, but I think the following is a realistic outcome to this "mess".
Ansett will get up and running. What will save them is the cash reserves that Fox and Lew have provided. Their operating costs will be way under QF.
Virgin will suffer terribly when Ansett starts again. They have limited reserves with nothing from Head Office in the UK and essentially relying on day to day cash flow to keep going.
BUT - Ansett also has limited up side unless it gets bigger fairly rapidly.
The idea of Ansett and Virgin getting into bed may yet eventuate. This would achieve two things:
1. Give Virgin a chance to survive using AN terminals and infrastructure as a low cost arm of Ansett.
2. It would give Ansett critical mass to oppose QF in a big way.
This idea will no doubt be laughed at by extremists in both camps, but I think this is the only real way forward for Virgin. (and indeed Ansett)
Maybe if Lang had come on to the scene at the beginning, things may have turned out differently, but the reality is that Fox and Lew are almost there.