From the Bay Area, there are so many carve outs that are blocked from code-sharing to get the VX merger approved, that closer co-operation is not going to happen--at least until those expire. AA is not exactly a powerhouse at SFO now either where even flights to hubs like ORD have been cut down a lot. The SEA idea for international service never made much sense. It was good for the press release and that is about it. LHR slots are too valuable for AA to waste on SEA when AA already has a JV partner that is already well established on the route.

If AA/AS got any closer, like the AA/B6 alliance, they would be sued as well and perhaps have the whole partnership be put into question.