Originally Posted by
sannmann
Might having a standalone AA and US perhaps be in UA's interests? US connections up and down the East Coast to places UA does not cover, for example, as feeders to UA long hauls?
Yet, on the other hand, US/AA merger would make it more possible for UA to raise prices...
If the integration of AA and US created the same sort of chaos that plagued UA in March-June of 2012, then UA and DL would certainly welcome the merger.
On the other hand, UA probably doesn't relish the thought of all those loyal US Airways customers staying loyal to the new AA, especially when it comes to filling that huge Asia network. US customers certainly help fill those flights to China, Japan and Hong Kong, and presumably, a merger of US and AA would provide new AA a big opportunity to land those customers to help fill AA's existing flights to Asia and perhaps some new flights to Asia. That would leave a mark on UA's finances.
And you're right - a merger would reduce competition and help UA and DL raise prices, along with new AA.
Lots of variables to consider. Hard to say how it goes down until it actually happens.