Is.....NOW......the time for AA to persue Alaska Airlines ?

[NewHampshire Black Bears]

As have many 'senior posters' on US Aviation, we've read/posted...forever......about AA and AS !
 
But I can never remember a more  ' White Hot '  topic / time  in Alaskas / Seattle history than Now.  This is obviously due to DL's STRONG objective to capture the top spot in Seattle (an attempt that in my view, DL will Never achieve, NOT without some eventual Heavy backing for AS).
AS is having to keep pulling rabbits out of hats (tie ups with Icelandic, (i Think) Emerates  etc.) to stay 'ahead' of DL.   Wouldn't NOW be the ideal time for AA and AS  to consummate this 'long term' relationship  ?
 
Methinks...YES !

 

[USFlyer]

I would love to see AA and AS tie the not, but I just don't see it.  AS is quite pricey with a market cap of $9.7 billion.  I would expect AS to terminate its DL partnership as soon as it's able, however.  So a deeper AA-AS partnership is very likely.

 

[conehead777]

wish aa after bk had merged with as instead of us air

 

[eolesen]

Some ideas just never die, eh?

 

[NewHampshire Black Bears]

I would love to see AA and AS tie the not, but I just don't see it.  AS is quite pricey with a market cap of $9.7 billion.  I would expect AS to terminate its DL partnership as soon as it's able, however.  So a deeper AA-AS partnership is very likely.

 
Well,........that would be a  GOOD  beginning.
Since SEA has always been the AS hub, I can't remember a time that Alaska has been under this much threat.  Yes the " 9.7B " is a large consideration, however  AS has to know (and I'm sure they do, Just like  DL   KNOWS)) that IF it looks like AS is close to losing SEA, that the    'BIG DOG'    is Very Very...Nearby !
I like AS ...as a company, yet for selfish reasons, I'm glad DL is squeezing AS Hard !    If    " IT "   were to happen, I KNOW a certain  DL .... ' Tub - Thumper ' that  would clam up in regard to AA/LAX dominance.
 
conehead777,
 
After all is  said-and-done, AA/US will be a Very Good  hook-up, More than I ever thought it would be.
The  WOPPER that AA let get away, will Always be  AA/NW  !!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[UPNAWAY]

IMHO The government will not approve any more acquisitions by the big 4. Any more mergers will be among the smaller players if even that.

 

[eolesen]

Nah, wouldn't rule some out lingering possibilities.

If Alaska or Hawaiian were on the ropes, a merger would be allowed with someone.

Neither one is hurting, though.

That said, the next round of consolidation isn't going to be with larger US airlines -- it's going to be among the regionals.

 

[NewHampshire Black Bears]

So,......let UA grab Hawaiian,........................Del-DUH grab  Spirit, .......and  AA grab.....  " ? ".
He-he-he.     

 

[jimntx]

Do we keep forgetting that AS does not want to be acquired, merged, or any other combination in which they would give up their autonomy?  AS is perfectly happy as they are.

 

[JAFA]

Some ideas just never die, eh?

 
 
To be fair I had been hearing about the imminent merger of DL and NW since 1972 before it finally happened.  Based on that I gifure we only have another 20 years of discussing an AA/AS tie up before it goes down.

 

[Glenn Quagmire]

To be fair I had been hearing about the imminent merger of DL and NW since 1972 before it finally happened.  Based on that I gifure we only have another 20 years of discussing an AA/AS tie up before it goes down.

Awesome.

You were, ahem, are, a visionary that very few here can match. ;-)

 

[NewHampshire Black Bears]

Do we keep forgetting that AS does not want to be acquired, merged, or any other combination in which they would give up their autonomy?  AS is perfectly happy as they are.

 
Jim.
Thats all well and good (AS).  BUT, should it get to the point that DL really starts squeezing AS to the point that Alaska has run out of 'rabbits' to pull out of hats, then what, for AS ?
DL is a Powerful Enemy to almost every US carrier, possibly even UA.   NO. We (AA) don't fear them  now, never have and Never will, however, it remains to be seen if that will be Alaska's fate !  UAL wants nothing to do with the SEA fight, AND .." IF "  AS does find there arse-in-a-(SEA)-sling, it wont be a Hawaiian, or a Jet Blue/Spirit or any other regional that will 'save thier bacon'  !

 

[USFlyer]

Do we keep forgetting that AS does not want to be acquired, merged, or any other combination in which they would give up their autonomy?  AS is perfectly happy as they are.

 
A hostile takeover is technically a possibility, but again the price of AS is rather high for that to make sense.

 

[jimntx]

 
Jim.
Thats all well and good (AS).  BUT, should it get to the point that DL really starts squeezing AS to the point that Alaska has run out of 'rabbits' to pull out of hats, then what, for AS ?
DL is a Powerful Enemy to almost every US carrier, possibly even UA.   NO. We (AA) don't fear them  now, never have and Never will, however, it remains to be seen if that will be Alaska's fate !  UAL wants nothing to do with the SEA fight, AND .." IF "  AS does find there arse-in-a-(SEA)-sling, it wont be a Hawaiian, or a Jet Blue/Spirit or any other regional that will 'save thier bacon'  !
 
And, AS has enormous brand loyalty on the West Coast of the U.S.  To many travelers if DL and AS both go to a destination, they will pick AS because it is the hometown airline.  I have a number of friends in the SEA-TAC area that would drive before flying DL because they see DL's actions as trying to put AS out of business.  They do not want a monopoly airline at SEA-TAC unless it is AS.