View Poll Results: My opinion of the announced AA - US merger is:
This is the best of all possible worlds; great idea!
33
3.93%
This portends a stronger airline, with some changes for all
192
22.88%
I am neutral - pros and cons for all
199
23.72%
I think this is a somewhat bad idea with some real challenges
226
26.94%
I am completely opposed to this merger; terrible idea!
189
22.53%
Voters: 839. You may not vote on this poll
AA - US Merger Agreement / Announcement / DOJ Action Discussion (consolidated)
Feb 15, 2013, 10:14 am
#661
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Pittsburgh
Programs: MR/SPG LT Titanium, AA LT PLT, UA SLV, Avis PreferredPlus
Posts: 31,009
Iirc, there was a reason to keep Cactus - the US call sign was periodically confused with another, and it was decided on the basis of ATC safety. I can't imagine them no using the AA call sign.
Feb 15, 2013, 10:15 am
#662
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Pittsburgh
Programs: MR/SPG LT Titanium, AA LT PLT, UA SLV, Avis PreferredPlus
Posts: 31,009
I'd love to see the same "what do you think about the merger" poll results on the US forum, among US regulars. I suspect most of the responses so far are from AA regulars.
Feb 15, 2013, 10:18 am
#663
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2006
Programs: AAdvantage PP
Posts: 13,913
While that may certainly be correct in the abstract (higher ticket prices), the decline in real (inflation adjusted) ticket prices since 1978 demonstrates that airline mergers may be the exception to that rule. The startups and their low fares (made possible by their low wages) have provided real checks on the ability of the high-cost airlines to extract high fares over the long-term.
Sure, in some communities, fares look outrageous as the B6, VX, NK or WN effects have yet to reach them (and probably never will). But overall, air travel is very cheap despite very expensive fuel prices.
Sure, in some communities, fares look outrageous as the B6, VX, NK or WN effects have yet to reach them (and probably never will). But overall, air travel is very cheap despite very expensive fuel prices.
Feb 15, 2013, 10:25 am
#664
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: PDX
Posts: 2,284
25% think it's a good idea, 75% think it's a bad idea.
Feb 15, 2013, 11:07 am
#665
Join Date: Aug 2010
Programs: AA 1.6MM EXP; UA GS; SPG LTG,Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 1,477
A very large share of the connecting and MUC bound *A traffic takes Lufthansa across the Atlantic... with the merger this will become a less attractive option for LCC domestic elites increasing demand for the PHL-MUC flight. The fact that there isn't currently a direct flight between the MUC focus city and a OW hub in North America means the merger will also provide new OW connecting traffic for the route. There's a lot more than O/D to consider.
As an aside, I scarcely find MUC to be an OW focus city - sure, it's served by AB to four cities in Germany and three other European destinations, but (from an earlier post) "dozens of OW destinations on four continents"? BA - LHR. QR - DOH. IB - MAD. DME and OVB. AMM. Okay, so we have a handful of destinations in Europe and ME. No service from CX, QF, or MH.. That is three full service (as opposed to AB/S7) OW carriers that don't serve MUC not counting AA and LAN).
Believe me, I wish MUC actually was a focus city since I'm there a lot (as in half a dozen times a year from the left coast - and I go with BA). Would be nice to be able to roll the dice on an SWU on AA metal but yeah, that's not going to happen any time soon IMO.
Feb 15, 2013, 11:09 am
#666
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Barbados
Programs: AA PLT 6MM
Posts: 633
I'm happy to give the merger the benefit of the doubt for the time being. Compared to Chapter 7 or a different takeover involving the loss of Million Miler status, the current deal looks OK.
Feb 15, 2013, 11:11 am
#667
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2006
Programs: AAdvantage PP
Posts: 13,913
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/us-ai...on-thread.html
25% think it's a good idea, 75% think it's a bad idea.
25% think it's a good idea, 75% think it's a bad idea.
Feb 15, 2013, 11:18 am
#668
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: SFO
Programs: AA 1.5MM & RC of an employee, Marriott Titanium, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 878
We get 8 one way systemwide upgrades each year as EXP. When you hit each million miles (as EXP) you get four additional SWU's. Then, we can use miles (and an upgrade fee) as well if we fly more than that internationally.
BTW, you make one excellent point. I haven't seen a Gold in F/C in quite a while.
BTW, you make one excellent point. I haven't seen a Gold in F/C in quite a while.
Feb 15, 2013, 11:24 am
#669
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: BWI
Programs: AA Gold, HH Diamond, National Emerald Executive, TSA Disparager Gold
Posts: 15,180
Leaving *A for OW is also a fairly big deal, aside from consolidation generally not being a good thing for the consumer.
Feb 15, 2013, 11:27 am
#670
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: BOS
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 7,710
Possibly. But I think it's more likely that the LCC MUC lift would be diverted to another OW "hub" in Europe - say DUS or BER (when that eventually opens...) - or even DME. Unless AA evolves its thinking,
As an aside, I scarcely find MUC to be an OW focus city - sure, it's served by AB to four cities in Germany and three other European destinations, but (from an earlier post) "dozens of OW destinations on four continents"? BA - LHR. QR - DOH. IB - MAD. DME and OVB. AMM. Okay, so we have a handful of destinations in Europe and ME. No service from CX, QF, or MH.. That is three full service (as opposed to AB/S7) OW carriers that don't serve MUC not counting AA and LAN).
Believe me, I wish MUC actually was a focus city since I'm there a lot (as in half a dozen times a year from the left coast - and I go with BA). Would be nice to be able to roll the dice on an SWU on AA metal but yeah, that's not going to happen any time soon IMO.
As an aside, I scarcely find MUC to be an OW focus city - sure, it's served by AB to four cities in Germany and three other European destinations, but (from an earlier post) "dozens of OW destinations on four continents"? BA - LHR. QR - DOH. IB - MAD. DME and OVB. AMM. Okay, so we have a handful of destinations in Europe and ME. No service from CX, QF, or MH.. That is three full service (as opposed to AB/S7) OW carriers that don't serve MUC not counting AA and LAN).
Believe me, I wish MUC actually was a focus city since I'm there a lot (as in half a dozen times a year from the left coast - and I go with BA). Would be nice to be able to roll the dice on an SWU on AA metal but yeah, that's not going to happen any time soon IMO.
AB also has a lot of admittedly seasonal leisure routes from MUC, right now MUC has the only oneworld flight to Mombasa Kenya as well as direct flights to the Caribbean. PHL-MUC-MLA/CFU/HER... would be thin low yield routes, but they could help fill empty seats. AY also has a couple flights a day MUC-HEL which allows for connections to Asia. By no means is MUC a oneworld hub, but it's not a common spoke for oneworld the way it is for skyteam.
Feb 15, 2013, 11:40 am
#671
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Missouri
Programs: AA PLT 2MM, BAEC, SPG, UA, AF
Posts: 84
Lots of nice graphics from Zero Hedge and WSJ on fleets, pilot pay, etc.
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-0...nd-new-airline
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-0...nd-new-airline
Feb 15, 2013, 12:19 pm
#672
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 4,645
Interesting how the entire northwest region is almost entirely untouched. Hardly anything north of LAX. As an SFO based flyer, this merger creates an airline that is as irrelevant as AA or US were alone. Would be great for them to invest in SFO and start aggressively taking share from UA in this market.
Feb 15, 2013, 12:31 pm
#673
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: BWI
Programs: AA Gold, HH Diamond, National Emerald Executive, TSA Disparager Gold
Posts: 15,180
Interesting how the entire northwest region is almost entirely untouched. Hardly anything north of LAX. As an SFO based flyer, this merger creates an airline that is as irrelevant as AA or US were alone. Would be great for them to invest in SFO and start aggressively taking share from UA in this market.
Feb 15, 2013, 12:37 pm
#674
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2001
Location: LAX; AA EXP, MM; HH Gold
Posts: 31,789
Interesting how the entire northwest region is almost entirely untouched. Hardly anything north of LAX. As an SFO based flyer, this merger creates an airline that is as irrelevant as AA or US were alone. Would be great for them to invest in SFO and start aggressively taking share from UA in this market.
New AA is now the largest airline at BOS, which will be the largest domestic station not called a hub or focus city, and I think that SFO will be the second largest.
Feb 15, 2013, 12:37 pm
#675
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Austin,TX (AUS)
Programs: AA, UA
Posts: 767
Interesting how the entire northwest region is almost entirely untouched. Hardly anything north of LAX. As an SFO based flyer, this merger creates an airline that is as irrelevant as AA or US were alone. Would be great for them to invest in SFO and start aggressively taking share from UA in this market.