Merger Rumors and Everything Related [Merged Threads]
Jan 10, 2007, 2:12 pm
#16
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Upper Midwest
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Then I suggest we all wait until Friday to see what Eagan has been thinking up. They seem to have been fairly quite lately, aside from Mesaba. (And even that hasn't caused Doug & Co. to be all that talkative.)
"Exciting."
"Exciting."
Jan 10, 2007, 3:27 pm
#17
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I mentioned this already, but somewhere in my flying last month, I was chatting with an FA or two, and heard that (quiet) negotiations between NWA and the FAs have been going on since something like December 16th. (Evidently without attracting media coverage.)
Jan 10, 2007, 4:00 pm
#18
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Detroit
Programs: Northwest Platinum
Posts: 1,533
I would much rather see a merger with American and a codeshare partnership with British airways on all US-UK flights, along with a move of the Chicago hub to Detroit (with double hourly flights between ORD-DTW and hourly flights to JFK). Obviously ORD would keep P2P flights like ORD-LGA,JFK,LAX,MIA,SFO,BOS,PHL,MSP etc). ORD would be a mini hub, even with some international, but most of the international flights and the hub operations would be moved to detroit.
I would even like this if it meant no more EAU, and I know I will be flamed for that as even I value that as the most important worldperk benefit, but the first class product on AA is superior, and elites can upgrade with purchased upgrades and banked upgrades.
Still, I would prefer to see NW independent of a merger, but if it has to merge with someone AA is better than DL.
I would even like this if it meant no more EAU, and I know I will be flamed for that as even I value that as the most important worldperk benefit, but the first class product on AA is superior, and elites can upgrade with purchased upgrades and banked upgrades.
Still, I would prefer to see NW independent of a merger, but if it has to merge with someone AA is better than DL.
Jan 10, 2007, 4:11 pm
#19
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I think the questions is which hubs will loose hub status
MSP - NO
DTW - NO
ATL - NO
JFK - NO
NRT - NO
SLC - Probably Not
CVG - ?
MEM - ?
Would have great Pacific and Atlantic coverage
Any chance they would kick CO out of Skyteam?
MSP - NO
DTW - NO
ATL - NO
JFK - NO
NRT - NO
SLC - Probably Not
CVG - ?
MEM - ?
Would have great Pacific and Atlantic coverage
Any chance they would kick CO out of Skyteam?
Last edited by elitetraveler; Jan 11, 2007 at 1:47 am Reason: wrong city code for cvg - thanks dantravels!
Jan 10, 2007, 4:17 pm
#20
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Well, after NW, AA is my favorite US-based carrier. But...
Please, God, no! BA is why I stopped flying AA in the first place - their codeshare and frequent flyer programs are so poorly integrated that I can't bring myself to call Oneworld an alliance. And BA is an absolutely horrid entity to deal with as a frequent flyer unless you've got the Royal Family's budget for air travel. 
If AA and BA let me earn AA miles for TATL flights on BA, and gave 100% Q-miles for all fare classes, I would've easily made elite in 2005, and might be flying them to this day. But they didn't, so I didn't, so I'm not.
It'd be great, but I just can't see it ever happening, because as great as the DTW airport may be, the city of Chicago is a place people actually want to go, unlike, um, Detroit. 
If NW had no choice but to merge with, or be acquired by, another carrier, AA would be my first choice, sure. But I'd sooner see NW acquire DL somehow (and undo all the stupidity DL hath wrought vis-a-vis upgrades, segments, etc), and like you, I'd sooner still see NW independent.
and a codeshare partnership with British airways on all US-UK flights
If AA and BA let me earn AA miles for TATL flights on BA, and gave 100% Q-miles for all fare classes, I would've easily made elite in 2005, and might be flying them to this day. But they didn't, so I didn't, so I'm not.
along with a move of the Chicago hub to Detroit (with double hourly flights between ORD-DTW and hourly flights to JFK). Obviously ORD would keep P2P flights like ORD-LGA,JFK,LAX,MIA,SFO,BOS,PHL,MSP etc). ORD would be a mini hub, even with some international, but most of the international flights and the hub operations would be moved to detroit.
Still, I would prefer to see NW independent of a merger, but if it has to merge with someone AA is better than DL.
Jan 10, 2007, 4:18 pm
#21
Join Date: Aug 1999
Location: Alexandria, VA, USA NW Platinum Elite Since 1999, United GoldMM, Hyatt Plat, SPG Gold, Hilton Gold, Hertz #1 Gold, IC Ambassador, Avis Chairman's
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< Obi-wan Steenland emeges from the shadows >
waving his hand... "this is not the airline you are looking for..."
< AA and US lawyers and creditors respond > "this is not the airline we are looking for..."
< Obi-wan > "go fight over Delta..."
< AA and US lawyers and creditors respond > "lets go fight over Delta..."
< Obi-wan > "let NWA go about their BK reorganization"
< AA and US lawyers and creditors respond > "let NWA go about their BK reorganization"
... the NWA mind trick at work...
just some humor for the afternoon...
waving his hand... "this is not the airline you are looking for..."
< AA and US lawyers and creditors respond > "this is not the airline we are looking for..."
< Obi-wan > "go fight over Delta..."
< AA and US lawyers and creditors respond > "lets go fight over Delta..."
< Obi-wan > "let NWA go about their BK reorganization"
< AA and US lawyers and creditors respond > "let NWA go about their BK reorganization"
... the NWA mind trick at work...
just some humor for the afternoon...
Jan 10, 2007, 4:19 pm
#22
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Jan 10, 2007, 4:53 pm
#23
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: eastern Europe & NC
Posts: 4,527
I agree. The prospect of being jerked into that ''limited partnership'' called One World is a huge negative. How can they even call BA a partner when one cannot either earn or burn AA miles trans-Atlantic on BA. What a joke!
If they have to merge, AA would be the very last on my list.
If they have to merge, AA would be the very last on my list.
Well, after NW, AA is my favorite US-based carrier. But...
Please, God, no! BA is why I stopped flying AA in the first place - their codeshare and frequent flyer programs are so poorly integrated that I can't bring myself to call Oneworld an alliance. And BA is an absolutely horrid entity to deal with as a frequent flyer unless you've got the Royal Family's budget for air travel.
If AA and BA let me earn AA miles for TATL flights on BA, and gave 100% Q-miles for all fare classes, I would've easily made elite in 2005, and might be flying them to this day. But they didn't, so I didn't, so I'm not.
It'd be great, but I just can't see it ever happening, because as great as the DTW airport may be, the city of Chicago is a place people actually want to go, unlike, um, Detroit.
If NW had no choice but to merge with, or be acquired by, another carrier, AA would be my first choice, sure. But I'd sooner see NW acquire DL somehow (and undo all the stupidity DL hath wrought vis-a-vis upgrades, segments, etc), and like you, I'd sooner still see NW independent.
Please, God, no! BA is why I stopped flying AA in the first place - their codeshare and frequent flyer programs are so poorly integrated that I can't bring myself to call Oneworld an alliance. And BA is an absolutely horrid entity to deal with as a frequent flyer unless you've got the Royal Family's budget for air travel.
If AA and BA let me earn AA miles for TATL flights on BA, and gave 100% Q-miles for all fare classes, I would've easily made elite in 2005, and might be flying them to this day. But they didn't, so I didn't, so I'm not.
It'd be great, but I just can't see it ever happening, because as great as the DTW airport may be, the city of Chicago is a place people actually want to go, unlike, um, Detroit.
If NW had no choice but to merge with, or be acquired by, another carrier, AA would be my first choice, sure. But I'd sooner see NW acquire DL somehow (and undo all the stupidity DL hath wrought vis-a-vis upgrades, segments, etc), and like you, I'd sooner still see NW independent.
Jan 10, 2007, 5:29 pm
#24
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Detroit
Programs: Northwest Platinum
Posts: 1,533
I agree. The prospect of being jerked into that ''limited partnership'' called One World is a huge negative. How can they even call BA a partner when one cannot either earn or burn AA miles trans-Atlantic on BA. What a joke!
If they have to merge, AA would be the very last on my list.
If they have to merge, AA would be the very last on my list.
I too hate the lack of integration in Oneworld. Its awful, and I would be well on my way to EXP with AA if they counted TATL flights.
BA/AA/NWA would have to have an agreement allowing 100% EQM on ALL fares on ALL airlines for the new AA/NW. I don't know what the antitrust hold ups on this are, and I don't know how they could be resolved. I can tell you this: a DL/NW/AF/KL code share combined with NW/KL joint revenue agreements would certainly be larger than any AA/BA program would be right now, so I don't see why it should be disalowed. Additionally a BA/AA/NW would be no larger than AF/KL/NW/DL.
As much as I like NW for domestic and WBC travel, if I'm not flying WBC (and the fares DTW-anywhere in business class are absurd- think 8-10 thousand most of the time I travel), I prefer BA WT+. Right now BA fares are pretty low in business class DTW-India compared to NW. I suppose that would change if DTW became an AA hub and BA was an integrated partner. Maybe what I would really like to see is NW acquire DL, increase the number of international flights from DTW to Asia (as planned), and I would fly this airline to Asia. Then BA/AA should be allowed to do their thing, and I will fly one of those airlines to Europe and India.
Jan 10, 2007, 5:39 pm
#25
Join Date: Apr 2005
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I agree. The prospect of being jerked into that ''limited partnership'' called One World is a huge negative. How can they even call BA a partner when one cannot either earn or burn AA miles trans-Atlantic on BA. What a joke!
If they have to merge, AA would be the very last on my list.
If they have to merge, AA would be the very last on my list.
Jan 10, 2007, 6:44 pm
#26
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Location: Seattle, WA
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Hope a combined DL/NW would close that awful CVG hub. Good riddance!
Jan 10, 2007, 6:46 pm
#27
Join Date: Dec 2002
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I doubt merger would benefit any of us.
The industry would benefit from more, not less, competition.
If only the Justice Deparment still believed in antitrust enforcement.....
The industry would benefit from more, not less, competition.
If only the Justice Deparment still believed in antitrust enforcement.....
Jan 10, 2007, 6:50 pm
#28
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: DTW
Programs: DL Silver Medallion
Posts: 613
As my boss said to my plant today, rumors tend to make people make decisions that they will regret later.
Lesson: It's a rumor. Actions speak louder than words.
Lesson: It's a rumor. Actions speak louder than words.
Jan 10, 2007, 8:36 pm
#29
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Its really not a rumor. Its a desparate move on NWs part. Deltas creditor committee tonite URGED them to postpone their filing on feb 7th and really take a good look at this US offer. Money Talks, I didnt think dalrq and lcc would get done at first. Now I think it has a good chance. That will put co-uaua in motion leaving aa and nw. AA learned a big lesson with TWA They may not try for NW right away. Just wait for them to get squeezed into chapt 7 and then buy the "good" parts of nw and leave the junk. I think this is NWs nightmare, and talks with delta are just wishful thinkng. Deltas pilots dont want anything to do with NWs management. my 2cents BTW does your plant do better when your boss talks to it? 
Jan 10, 2007, 10:08 pm
#30
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