AA and US?

[Dont call me Shirley]

While AA's record in the Air Cal, Reno Air, and TWA mergers (how much is left of those carriers) gives me pause, on the good side, at least we would get Sabre back!!!

 

[FCYTravis]

I just don't know what AA could possibly see in US with the exception of slots at DCA, LGA, and ORD.

This little hub called CLT, probably. Remember, AA clearly would like some southeast hub, they tried at RDU and failed miserably. Miami does not cut it, obviously - great for Caribbean ops and O&D, not so much for connecting Dayton with Pensacola.

I'm sure they'd quite happily take over the Shuttle ops, too - they're already running an Eagle RJ "minishuttle" operation.

Fleets don't match

AA's fleet is old, fuel-inefficient and inflexible - they have nothing smaller than the MD80 for mainline, and only a small handful of 70-seat jets, along with a huge surplus of 50/37-seat ERJs. They have to refleet, and soon. What better way to start a refleeting program than to acquire the world's largest Airbus fleet with plenty of orders coming down the pipe, along with a large number of 100-seat E190s and, of course, the atrocious (for travelers and workers) ~80-seat contract jets from Mesa and Republic?

 

[chucky]

Be careful what you wish for. If AA gets a hold of you guys they will shred you up and keep only the parts they want. JMO

 

[FCYTravis]

Agreed. St. Louis, Reno, Santa Ana and San Jose (twice) can attest to that.

 

[NewHampshire Black Bears]

Meaning NO disrespect to ANY employee of US (east), you guys have been thru H-ELL.

But under NO circumstances will AA "hook up" with LCC !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Could AA use LCC's A330's..??....................ABSOLUTELY
Could AA use LCC's Ejets..??........................Absolutely
Could AA use LCC's CLT hub..??....................ABSOLUTELY,............BUT not ENOUGH to..."pull the trigger" (IMHO)

 

[FA Mikey]

Come on NHBB, does AA need more scarebusses? No. Ejets? Not with out a waiver from APA for Eagle to fly them. Is AA in need of another hub? No. AA needs more of the harder to come by international routes, not more nickel and dime short hop ones. For example any airline can fly to LHR, but no one can come close to the number of flights to, or the the prime landing and take off slots AA has there.

 

[LGA Fleet Service]

Don't kid yourself Mikey, management enjoys the ego boost of 'the world's largest airline',and don't think for a second they'll easily give it up.


I really don't see them being foolish enough to go out and complete any kind of transaction while all of the labor contracts are open.Then again, you don't know what these MBA toting 'Aviation Consultants' are whispering in Arpey's ear.

We're all along for the ride at this point.

 

[FWAAA]

UA now has 3.2 billion, LCC has 2.8 billion. With an AA/LCC merger you'd be looking at a mega airline with about 8 billion in cash with 9 hubs! Wow.

Interesting math there.

3.2 + 2.8 = 6, not 8.

US had $2.07 billion of unrestricted cash on 3/31.

On top of that, US has $300 million in Auction Rate Securities that are likely not worth anywhere near the face value, since the auctions have failed each time.

 

[spanglish]

Everyone can rationalize or speculate however they like or come up with whatever different scenario but what's going to happen will happen. No matter how many employees want it or don't want it, it's not in the employee's hands. Instead of getting all bent out of shape on here, just sit back and wait for it to unfold.

 

[NAPAUS]

Everyone can rationalize or speculate however they like or come up with whatever different scenario but what's going to happen will happen. No matter how many employees want it or don't want it, it's not in the employee's hands. Instead of getting all bent out of shape on here, just sit back and wait for it to unfold.

Finally someone with common sense. What will be will be and NO airline employee or UNION will stop a merger from happening. It's pure and simple. Ahhh yes again the naivety of airline employees...never ceases to amaze me!

 

[gaucho99]

I keep hearing comments that AA could not possibly see anything of value in US. Granted, when compared with the other legacies, we have the least intl prescence. But if the other hook ups happen, is AA better off standing alone, or hooking up with US? I think they would be much better off going forward with the merger. A big northeast prescence, the hub in clt, a fairly big operation in the west, not to mention the elimination of a competitor and some routes which will increase fares. This entire belief that domestic is a money loser will probably go away when you have 3 Legacy carriers instead of 6. Plus US has orders for more widebodies than anybody right now. So there would a lot of poential for further intl expansion. If DL-NW happen and CO-UA happen, then AA-US will follow. I think someone pointed out in another thread how the three mergers above all equal 7 when you add up their current position as size of airline. DL-NW are 3 and 4. CO and UA are 5 and 2 and AA and US are 1 and 6. It would probably be the fairest set of match ups.

 

[Ignacio]

I keep hearing comments that AA could not possibly see anything of value in US.

Philadelphia is very valueable, in my opinion. Switch out them 757s with some real widebodies, and a management team that knows how to deal with international ops.


So is Pheonix, a city not given the respect it deserves. Good focus city.

 

[700UW]

PHL is US' #1 money producing city.

 

[Hey.. Chill Out]

Check out the AA route map around the northwest. Their hubs are similar to ours. Doug's plan is to cut out competition so there's a good place!

DL route map was almost 100% similar to ours as well.

 

[FA Mikey]

I keep hearing comments that AA could not possibly see anything of value in US. Granted, when compared with the other legacies, we have the least intl prescence. But if the other hook ups happen, is AA better off standing alone, or hooking up with US?

One mans treasure is another mans garbage. Doesnt mean US has no value. But as to AA and how it operates and its business model. It doesnt fit. Does AA need a larger domestic presence? No. Does AA need an fleet of non compatible aircraft. No. Is AA going to take on a fleet of airbus aircraft, with its relationship and access to Boeing aircraft? No. Is AA going to take on another carrier and have to go head to head with SWA? No. Is AA going to spend billions to take on the U/AWA in fighting? No.

AA is still geared as a business mans airline, LCC is geared as a leisure . What could be of value to AA? LGA, and DCA slots. The RR powered 757's, thats about it.