What will the impact of the merger be on the new United Airlines?

Will the new airline look more like the UA of today, or the CO of today?

And if it will be a combination of the two, which features will survive the merger?

So far, we know that CO has adopted SWU's, a 4th elite level (PPE), and ELR. Oh, and they are dropping their marketing arrangement with American Express.

On the UA side, they added UDU, their version of EUA.

We know the airline's new livery will be the current CO colors with the United name.

We know precious little more, so I thought a little idle speculation might be fun:

1. Fleet: Which planes are most likely to go bye-bye? My vote is UA's 744, because of their general age, and CO's 762, because of their inefficiency. Will UA's large fleet of Airbus planes be retained?

2. Aircraft Interiors: Although the livery is a combination of the two carriers, it seems improbable that they would apply this approach to interiors.

Personally, I find the newest UA interior to be nicer and more comfortable.

Given the debacle with CO's seat provider of choice, Koito, perhaps the decision to keep UA's interiors would be logical.

3. Economy Plus: Obviously all are wondering what the outcome of this sub-cabin will be.

My guess is that it's history. My prediction is rows will be added back in all UA cabins. On the A-319/320 series, I believe they will compensate this by adding one row of FC.

4. International First: Will Smisek retain international first class? And if yes, this implies that all the current BF-equipped CO fleet would be reconfigured to F/J/Y?

I'm on the fence on this one, although I think they might keep international F on certain a/c or routes only, as many foreign carriers do.

5. IFE: Here, CO has the clear advantage. The question is whether UA's domestic fleet will all be fitted with LiveTV receivers and screens or whether this deal (made by Kellner) will be scapped entirely by Smisek in favor of...something else (AVOD and WiFi?

On the overseas fleet, one would certainly hope that UA's current fleet would be fitted with CO's AVOD.

6. Uniforms: Purely based on convenience and cost, one would imagine that UA's uniforms would be retained, since there are more UA employees than CO employees. Personally, I find the UA uniforms slightly spiffier...

7. Website: While many here poopoo UA's website, it actually has a couple of features that could enhance the usability of CO's website, such as the ability to select and price a roundtrip itinerary all on one page. I hope the combined website is able to use the best features from both.

8. Airport Lounges: Will these end up more like the PC's or the RCC's? Will booze be free or not? Will the new carrier keep the overseas locations of the RCC's open, or shut them down and make reciprocal agreements with *A partners?

9. Which Hubs Will Gain/Suffer? ORD and IAH are pretty solid no matter what. But you have to wonder if EWR will see flight volume go down, not so much because it isn't doing well financially, but because the facility is totally maxed out. And what of DEN, CLE, SFO?

10. WE CARE: Can the new UA, in all good conscience, retain the current iteration of 1-800-WE-CARE?

11. FF Program: Will *net blocking continue? Will award travel be a hard to book as it currently is on co.com? Will they retain the nebulous UA GS or the more concretly-stated OP PPE? Will elites receive UA's 6 SWU's, or CO's 4 SWU's?

12. Rhapsody in Blue: George Gershwin's classic composition has been a part of United's marketing for now three decades. It doesn't cost them a penny since a outright, perpetual license was acquired for $500,000. But does the new company retain this iconic tune? My hunch is no, that it's too identified with the old United and that it is history as well.

13. Jeff Smisek Welcome Video: Some here have had a field day with Jeff Smisek's version of the by-now traditional welcome video recorded by each CO CEO since Gordon Bethune. Does the new UA retains Smisek's welcome video, however irritating it may be? My guess is yes, because Jeff Smisek wants the world to know he's the main man of the world's largest airline (I don't begrudge him that in the least, he deserves, I just wish the copy were a little less annoying).

14. RJ Scope Clause: Will Smisek be able to raise CAL ALPA's scopr clause, or will RJ's larger than 50 seats be flown by mainline pilots, as CAL ALPA has suggested?

Many of you know know a lot more about the inner workings of both airlines, and some of you know about as little as me, but, in any case, I would be curious to hear your views on the new UaCo...