Originally Posted by
eponymous_coward
Because UA would laugh and and make sure *A rejected AA's application to join once the merger occurred, and the DOJ would also laugh and reject the merger as anticompetitive (since *A would be knocking OW out of the USA).
Also AA has ATI/JV with several OW airlines, which are very valuable. Moving to *A could create some wacky legal issues around that.
Also, AA is very adamant about staying in Oneworld, and I doubt US management was interested in pushing the issue.
Originally Posted by
ExpatExp
I'd keep it simple and fly PHL-LHR-IST on BA. Same distance as via FRA.
Incidentally, looks like IB flies from Madrid to Istanbul, too.