Airtight,. .. .Firstly, let me say that I am not a Fox/Lew insider. Made me laugh though!. .. ."By all accounts.....this corporate transaction could have been completed". How do you know this I ask? Did you sit in on every meeting that Fox and Lew had with the administators, the airports corporation, Airbus, Virgin, other investors, government reps, the list goes on. NO! You are basing all of your assumptions on media reports, are you not?. .. ."When you pledge your committment then dont follow through you were not really committed after all were you". Not a very thought out statement airtight! If someone makes a statement about commitment, is it not fair to say that they are committed at the time of the statement? Circumstances change airtight, so it is acceptable that a committment may be backed away from if changes take place. That is why they have a term called 'Divorce'.. .. .Verbal contract is indeed a binding contract, but did Fox and Lew ever give each and every individual employee of Ansett this contract. Fox and Lew could not have employed all staff prior to Ansett's collapse, they were to employ approximately 3000 former, so does this mean that everyone outside the 3000 who would miss out on working for the new Ansett Mark ? had thier contracts revoked? If I promise the world I would give food to the poor, and protect the world from peace and then failed to deliver, am I liable to be prosecuted? Think realistically airtight. Fox and Lew were telling everyone want they wanted to hear, I will stand firm on that, but legal proceedings for failing a promise...c'mon!. .. ."If you are not prepared to pay for a company you can afford are you leagally obligated to stay out of proceedings with that company". I dont know what you mean here, are you quoting a legal source?. .. .I agree with you that Fox and Lew's committment was based on SOME of other people's money, but we failed to see anyone else trying to help out the demised airline. After all, Gerry McG had plans for an expanding airline, but did he use any of his money??? He used investors money to bring in 717's into Australia. It didnt work under his terms, but it is now working well with Qantas.. .Fox and Lew were prepared to gamble but with other peoples money - YES! Isnt that what Qantas did also recently with a share resale to gather more cash to buy the new generation 737's. You will find that most startup airlines are started with "other" peoples money and this is exactly what Fox and Lew where doing!. .. .I enjoy a discussion airtight, not a verbal match. I am putting to writing my opinions with no intent to discriminate, insult or defame.. .Put yourself in Fox/lew's position. They seem like honest gentlemen (from what Ive seen and heard, not just recently but throughout thier business career). But honestly, tell me what they had to gain by bluffing to the nation,. .. .Cheers, Jimbo