Merger rumors?
Jul 19, 2013, 3:08 pm
#16
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 401
1. I'm sure WN is up for dismantling another hub, this one in SEA.
2. The 737-Combi fits right in with the WN fleet.
3. Barrow, Nome and the Aleutians have been WN priorities for years.
4. This will get WN, at long last, into the airport lounge business. Also, WN was looking for more F seats to rip out.
5. At a DO a few years ago, I heard a CO exec describe AS as the Switzerland of airlines because they would codeshare with anyone. WN has been looking to tie in more closely with the like of DL and AA, which sell a good chunk of AS seats.
2. The 737-Combi fits right in with the WN fleet.
3. Barrow, Nome and the Aleutians have been WN priorities for years.
4. This will get WN, at long last, into the airport lounge business. Also, WN was looking for more F seats to rip out.
5. At a DO a few years ago, I heard a CO exec describe AS as the Switzerland of airlines because they would codeshare with anyone. WN has been looking to tie in more closely with the like of DL and AA, which sell a good chunk of AS seats.
Jul 20, 2013, 8:20 am
#17
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Mountain Time Zone
Programs: AS Million Miler/Marriott Lifetime Titanium/ IGH Ambassador
Posts: 5,990
Agree, I already retracted (corrected myself), saying that the article that I found about their financial status being outdated.
However, just because the chips aren't down, it doesn't mean they couldn't merge, it was just one (albeit false) data point in the overall picture.
However, just because the chips aren't down, it doesn't mean they couldn't merge, it was just one (albeit false) data point in the overall picture.
Can anyone imagine taking a full service airline, profitable and making it a "discount" carrier? Not likely. Even a first year Wharton student wouldn't take that on.
On the merger point, sadly the options IF a merger was going to happen are not good for us FF's of AS. My vote AS stays single for a very long time.
Jul 20, 2013, 10:02 am
#19
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Waxahachie, TX
Programs: WN 3 Million Miler, MR Lifetime Titanium, HH Diamond, IHG Plat, AA Silver, United never again
Posts: 509
I heard this rumor about a month ago from a pax on a WN flight. FA mentioned that she had heard it as well.
So I went to the AS ET forum and searched for "merger". Let's just say that they openly mock the very thought of merging with anyone, especially WN. Their lounges are among the best in the industry, their frequent flier program is well liked, many like the red eyes they operate and they can codeshare almost anywhere.
Is it possible? Anything is possible, but this sounds like a rumor cooked up in a morning session of a travel magazine looking for new trends in the industry.
AS is single and loving the attention.
So I went to the AS ET forum and searched for "merger". Let's just say that they openly mock the very thought of merging with anyone, especially WN. Their lounges are among the best in the industry, their frequent flier program is well liked, many like the red eyes they operate and they can codeshare almost anywhere.
Is it possible? Anything is possible, but this sounds like a rumor cooked up in a morning session of a travel magazine looking for new trends in the industry.
AS is single and loving the attention.
Jul 20, 2013, 10:35 am
#20
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Mountain Time Zone
Programs: AS Million Miler/Marriott Lifetime Titanium/ IGH Ambassador
Posts: 5,990
I heard this rumor about a month ago from a pax on a WN flight. FA mentioned that she had heard it as well.
So I went to the AS ET forum and searched for "merger". Let's just say that they openly mock the very thought of merging with anyone, especially WN. Their lounges are among the best in the industry, their frequent flier program is well liked, many like the red eyes they operate and they can codeshare almost anywhere.
Is it possible? Anything is possible, but this sounds like a rumor cooked up in a morning session of a travel magazine looking for new trends in the industry.
AS is single and loving the attention.
So I went to the AS ET forum and searched for "merger". Let's just say that they openly mock the very thought of merging with anyone, especially WN. Their lounges are among the best in the industry, their frequent flier program is well liked, many like the red eyes they operate and they can codeshare almost anywhere.
Is it possible? Anything is possible, but this sounds like a rumor cooked up in a morning session of a travel magazine looking for new trends in the industry.
AS is single and loving the attention.
Jul 20, 2013, 12:17 pm
#21
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 401
Not really. WN cargo was worth about $140 million last year, less than one percent of total revenues. By contrast, DL cargo ran nearly $1 billion. WN cargo is not marketed like some others because there isn't much to market.
Jul 20, 2013, 10:33 pm
#22
Join Date: May 2006
Location: TUS/PDX
Programs: WN CP/A-List, AS MVPG75K
Posts: 5,798
FWIW, I'd hate to see AS get bought out by anyone. They're really a great carrier, despite a lot of their problems...
Jul 21, 2013, 9:58 am
#23
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Mountain Time Zone
Programs: AS Million Miler/Marriott Lifetime Titanium/ IGH Ambassador
Posts: 5,990
Have you actually used the AS Board Rooms? Sure, they're nice (now that they're renovating them), but the agents can't actually do anything with your reservations except add you to a standby list. The Seattle BR is so crowded at times that there's no room to sit or even leave your stuff to use the bathroom, and the SFO BR, while a great respite from T1 (I use it all the time when I'm on WN or AS), is about the size of a broom closet.
FWIW, I'd hate to see AS get bought out by anyone. They're really a great carrier, despite a lot of their problems...
FWIW, I'd hate to see AS get bought out by anyone. They're really a great carrier, despite a lot of their problems...
The "new" BR's are better but when you step back and look at PDX my home base they really did not do that much. Their all still the old legacy rooms with tired wood paneling, BR's the same, cramped etc. Only ANC and LAX seem to be more in tune with today
But having said that AS is still a great carrier with really good people.
Jul 21, 2013, 12:07 pm
#24
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: home = LAX
Posts: 25,933
At LAX they changed terminals (T3 to T6) within the past year, so either it's a new lounge they just built or a lounge they got from (or are sharing with) someone else.
(That's assuming that you're referring to the lounge they've had singe the move to T6.)
(That's assuming that you're referring to the lounge they've had singe the move to T6.)
Jul 21, 2013, 3:39 pm
#27
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Mountain Time Zone
Programs: AS Million Miler/Marriott Lifetime Titanium/ IGH Ambassador
Posts: 5,990
Finally a merger with WN makes no sense different product different crew training and capabilities.
Jul 21, 2013, 4:54 pm
#28
Join Date: May 2006
Location: TUS/PDX
Programs: WN CP/A-List, AS MVPG75K
Posts: 5,798
AirTran has a completely different product compared to WN.
Jul 21, 2013, 5:24 pm
#30
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Mountain Time Zone
Programs: AS Million Miler/Marriott Lifetime Titanium/ IGH Ambassador
Posts: 5,990
Not really discount carrier which added a lame "business class" service. only difference was WN knows how to do it.