Amazing - Spirit/Jet Blue couldn’t get cleared and now Spirit has gone bk twice. But we’d approve an AA/UA.
Wow.
But yes, it’s a different administration.
Will never happen.
I don’t think this will happen either, but if it does, can we merge our One World, and Star Alliance FF points…or will we just lose them all?
You wont lose them. But points will probably get diluted.
I think it’s highly unlikely.
And if this merger does happen, it won’t be good for passengers.
That already happened when USAirways went away. I know…a long time ago, but we had tons of points with them, and DH had Gold status with Star Alliance…we lost it all. And they couldn’t seem to “find” 12,000 miles each from a long trip we took not long before that merger.
What will happen to the employees. Some United employees already dealt with the United acquisition of Continental. And there were lots of issues regarding who had seniority especially with the flight attendants. I’d hate to see them deal with this…again.
I can’t imagine this one would get by the anti trust laws but I never say never anymore.
If I was a shareholder of either airlines, Id be really upset at the wasted time and money spent on outside experts when everyone knows this is DOA.
It’s really the political environment. If Biden were here, no. But he’s not. When a Spirit and Jet Blue get turned down…..which essentially killed spirit (and cost many jobs).
But these two would have to divest a lot in Chicago, as an example. Someone would pick their slots up.
Yes we have less major airlines than past times. But for whatever reason, new entrants come on easy. Breeze is a new one now.
And historically airline prices are far lower than many years past accounting for inflation.
Everyone always fears the consumer outcomes but even through the mass mergers of the past, passengers have done ok.
Sadly, I think it will go through. And it won’t be good for passengers.
At this point,it’s hypothetical. I don’t believe an offer has been made. Clearly the posturing is for a reason though.
With all the contraction we’ve had, our aviation travel industry is as strong as it’s ever been. I don’t think it’d be a death knell. History has proven otherwise. The next Morris Air or Air Tran or Frontier or Avelo or Breeze pops up and picks up slack. How they get funded I am unsure but they do and like Morris and Air Tran get absorbed.
I just can’t see how this could happen, but current administration does not follow historical standards, so who knows. I don’t think it would be a good idea though.
If Spirit bites the dust, it’s even more important to keep the monopolies at bay to the extent possible.
It just amazes me that with all the consolidation we’ve had and there’s been a lot in this industry, it still thrives and customers are still wining from a fare POV.
I don’t get it. It’s a horrible industry with lots of losses and failures - but there never seems an issue with new capacity.
It defies logic.
Many insiders are speculating that United isn’t really interested in American, but if there is a lot of negative reaction to a UA/AA merger it will make a UA/JetBlue merger much more palatable to regulators and this is the ultimate goal.
Interesting take - and a lot less overlap.
American Airlines CEO: Merger with United was a “no from the get-go”
