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ARCHIVE: US LCC & AMR / AA Takeover / merger Rumors and Discussion (consolidated)

Old Feb 14, 2013, 9:50 am
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The AA - US merger was approved by AMR creditors and the boards of directors of both airlines on 13 Feb 2013, and announced the 14th.

There is no further speculation about whether the merger will occur; all that is pending is approval from the bankruptcy court and the regulatory authorities.

American Airlines and US Airways approve merger: just the facts, please outlines the facts we know;

AA - US Merger Agreement / Announcement Discussion (consolidated) is the thread for discussion of the announced merger.
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ARCHIVE: US LCC & AMR / AA Takeover / merger Rumors and Discussion (consolidated)

 
Old Apr 17, 2012, 12:16 pm
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Dreamers everywhere but in this thread majority are...
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Old Apr 17, 2012, 12:19 pm
  #92  
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The interesting thing, maybe, is some US FAs are gossiping about the same thing: Doug Parker's plans for AA-US. But gossip and rumors run at high volume at these times.

Originally Posted by Dr. HFH
Since I know that rumors are a staple at FT.... Some of my friends are AA FAs. I heard from them this morning that some unspecified type of deal (Takeover? Buyout? Merger?) with US is rapidly approaching signing.
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Old Apr 17, 2012, 12:23 pm
  #93  
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As friendly as flight attendants can be, they won't be the first ones alerted if a transaction is to occur. But galley gossip continues unabated.

A recent example of galley gossip that the FA union had to debunk:

RUMOR CONTROL EXECUTIVE BONUSES
[email protected]

Recently there has been a rumor that the bankruptcy judge authorized the company to pay the annual Executive Bonuses. While we never know what the judge may do in the future as of the writing of this hotline that rumor is false.
http://www.apfa.org/content/category/9/17/46/
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Old Apr 17, 2012, 12:36 pm
  #94  
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From the April 5, 2012 Weekly Hotline of the APFA:

USAir Flight Attendants Reject T/A

Last week USAir Flight Attendants overwhelmingly rejected a proposed Tentative Agreement. The rejection of the proposed agreement was a result of a TA that did not fully recognize the sacrifices by Flight Attendants that directly contributed to the success of USAir.

"Flight attendants have subsidized the cost of the merger and rising fuel costs for the 'New US Airways,' " said union officials Deborah Volpe and Mark Gentile in a joint statement. "Management must recognize that our sacrifices have directly contributed to the success of US Airways."

This is a story we know all to well here at American Airlines and as such we stand in unity with our brethren at USAir in their fight for a fair and equitable contract.
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Old Apr 17, 2012, 12:59 pm
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Originally Posted by Dr. HFH
From the April 5, 2012 Weekly Hotline of the APFA:
Actually the US FA contract rejection probably is not an impediment to Doug Parker. He currently is operating 2 carriers under a single brand and marketing and then coordinating scheduling and partners across the two carriers. Why would he find operating 3 carriers (HP, US, & AA) under the AA brand problematic? To a rational person that might seem like a circus act, but that doesn't mean he isn't crazy enough do it or creditors spooked enough to approve it. Even if AA isn't able to lower its costs, he would get what he wants - the AA network along with the newer aircraft. He would transfer flying to HP and US, while reducing flying by legacy AA crews. He will discard the MD-80s as part of the acquisition, dump current AA management, and gradually downsize the number of AA rank and file. I suspect that the rhetoric between AA management and the rank and file is such that unsecured creditors may assume that labor contracts that both parties can agree to won't happen and without US, the only other option is an Eastern / Braniff style dismantling breakup. Never confuse logic and business
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Old Apr 17, 2012, 1:19 pm
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Originally Posted by ksweeney
Actually the US FA contract rejection probably is not an impediment to Doug Parker. He currently is operating 2 carriers under a single brand and marketing and then coordinating scheduling and partners across the two carriers. Why would he find operating 3 carriers (HP, US, & AA) under the AA brand problematic? To a rational person that might seem like a circus act, but that doesn't mean he isn't crazy enough do it or creditors spooked enough to approve it. Even if AA isn't able to lower its costs, he would get what he wants - the AA network along with the newer aircraft. He would transfer flying to HP and US, while reducing flying by legacy AA crews. He will discard the MD-80s as part of the acquisition, dump current AA management, and gradually downsize the number of AA rank and file. I suspect that the rhetoric between AA management and the rank and file is such that unsecured creditors may assume that labor contracts that both parties can agree to won't happen and without US, the only other option is an Eastern / Braniff style dismantling breakup. Never confuse logic and business
I would second this. No matter which side of the fence you stand on the unions at AA are going to be neutered either by the Court or under pressure to go along with management under threat of much harsher measurers put into place by the Court. Look at all of the huffing and puffing that went on by unions with the other carriers in Chapter 11, all of which mounted to less than a hill of beans.

Most creditors are looking at the situation as to will a much larger airline with a more robust route structure benefit me more than a smaller airline still hobbled by two larger competitors. Its not to say that they will not discuss and consider implications of labor unrest but having a bunch of happy pappy FAs is probably not very high on their list.

USAir needs AA more than AA needs USAir and Parker appears to be dying to do a merger (he has tried to dance with just about everyone else.) If he can make a compelling argument to creditors he has a very good shot at doing something. There will likely be no shortage of parties willing to line his pockets with funding.

The counteraction could be DL to make a run for AA, assuming DL has a somewhat credible strategy of getting around antitrust concerns without gutting itself.
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Old Apr 17, 2012, 1:33 pm
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Originally Posted by newyorkgeorge
I would second this. No matter which side of the fence you stand on the unions at AA are going to be neutered either by the Court or under pressure to go along with management under threat of much harsher measurers put into place by the Court. Look at all of the huffing and puffing that went on by unions with the other carriers in Chapter 11, all of which mounted to less than a hill of beans.

Most creditors are looking at the situation as to will a much larger airline with a more robust route structure benefit me more than a smaller airline still hobbled by two larger competitors. Its not to say that they will not discuss and consider implications of labor unrest but having a bunch of happy pappy FAs is probably not very high on their list.

USAir needs AA more than AA needs USAir and Parker appears to be dying to do a merger (he has tried to dance with just about everyone else.) If he can make a compelling argument to creditors he has a very good shot at doing something. There will likely be no shortage of parties willing to line his pockets with funding.

The counteraction could be DL to make a run for AA, assuming DL has a somewhat credible strategy of getting around antitrust concerns without gutting itself.
With the anti-trust issues, DL would only succeed by buying parts and spinning the rest off to someone else. For example DL might want to do a joint deal with US. DL would pickup the ORD hub along with some 737s and US would take the rest. DL would move ahead of UA in the "mine is bigger than yours" game they are playing. US would still benefit massively with the MIA, DFW, and LAX hubs. Other than some scenario like this where DL buys components of AA, the anti-trust issues would stop DL dead in its tracks.
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Old Apr 17, 2012, 1:54 pm
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Originally Posted by ksweeney
With the anti-trust issues, DL would only succeed by buying parts and spinning the rest off to someone else. For example DL might want to do a joint deal with US. DL would pickup the ORD hub along with some 737s and US would take the rest. DL would move ahead of UA in the "mine is bigger than yours" game they are playing. US would still benefit massively with the MIA, DFW, and LAX hubs. Other than some scenario like this where DL buys components of AA, the anti-trust issues would stop DL dead in its tracks.
The additional problem would be that any sizable break up of assets/operations makes it much harder for creditors to determine if they are better off than leaving AA emerge as a standalone operation. Creditors are going to want a very concise plan without having dozens and dozens of offshoots. Any prospective acquisition needs to past muster with creditors even before the government gets involved.
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Old Apr 17, 2012, 2:04 pm
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Originally Posted by newyorkgeorge
USAir needs AA more than AA needs USAir...
If AA has little use for USAir, why would AA's creditors?
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Old Apr 17, 2012, 2:13 pm
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Originally Posted by Torgen
If AA has little use for USAir, why would AA's creditors?
Because it would be a larger airline but yet able to scale down to the point a potentially making it a more profitable airline. It would give AA a larger European presence along with more command of the East Coast.

Now an AA with lower costs would probably be able to eventually build a greater route structure to Europe but that could take several years at least. It would also enhance AA's operations at DCA which has recently granted removing some of its perimeter restrictions.
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Old Apr 18, 2012, 3:24 pm
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Us hostile takeover bid

This is a newsroom leak: US Airways is about to move on a hostile takeover of American Airlines.

Can't say any more.
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Old Apr 18, 2012, 3:34 pm
  #102  
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Isn't there some stipulation within the bankruptcy that AA can't entertain offers until after September?
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Old Apr 18, 2012, 3:44 pm
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I remember reading that Sen. Hutchinson came out specifically against the possibility of merging AA with another carrier. I don't think the political powers that be would let that occur, regardless of US Air's purported working with Union reps/creditors.
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Old Apr 18, 2012, 3:45 pm
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Originally Posted by Zeffer
This is a newsroom leak: US Airways is about to move on a hostile takeover of American Airlines.

Can't say any more.
This would seem to be contrary to your "newsroom leak":

http://aviationblog.dallasnews.com/a...ors-commi.html
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Old Apr 18, 2012, 3:47 pm
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Originally Posted by elechrisity
I remember reading that Sen. Hutchinson came out specifically against the possibility of merging AA with another carrier. I don't think the political powers that be would let that occur, regardless of US Air's purported working with Union reps/creditors.
http://aviationblog.dallasnews.com/a...ons-say-h.html
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