Doug Parker just sent a letter to employees that UA and US have decided not to merge. He also says that if UA-CO do end up merging, it will be good for US.
April 22, 2010
Dear Fellow Employees:
As you know, there has been much recent speculation about our airline and a potential merger with United Airlines. Today we publicly issued a statement saying our Board of Directors has decided to discontinue those discussions, and I wanted to let you know where we are at this point.
Most of you know that I view consolidation as a positive for our industry. There are simply too many airlines chasing market share and this fragmentation causes our industry to struggle mightily. We continuously consider strategic options for our airline, and over the past several months, we have studied a transaction with United. However, those talks have not progressed to a merger agreement, and for the foreseeable future we intend to remain a standalone carrier.
Whether we participate in a merger or not, consolidation will create a more efficient domestic industry that can better withstand economic volatility, global competition and the cyclical nature of our industry as a whole. As I have said many times, it is not necessary for us to be direct participants in a merger because the entire industry benefits when consolidation occurs.
I am sure some “industry experts” will suggest that US Airways will be strategically harmed if United now chooses to merge with Continental. They will be wrong. Thanks to all that we have done together over the past two years – capacity rationalization, a la carte revenue programs, cost control and our commitment to operating efficiently and reliably – we have a strong and viable standalone airline that is producing industry-leading results. Should our competitors choose to merge and help create a more stable airline industry, our independent airline will only become stronger.
The busy summer travel months are ahead and we enter them with positive momentum and well-positioned to take advantage of the improving economic environment. Please keep up the great work. We're running one of the best airlines in the country and our customers are noticing. Thank you for your continued commitment to our passengers and to US Airways – I’m looking forward to continuing to see our name in the sky and working with the great people who make it happen.
Doug