the grapevine: US and UA are talking about something
#61
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Houston
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#62
Join Date: May 2008
Location: West Hollywood, CA (LAX)
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Or maybe talking about *A integration/benefits/gate consolidation in wake of Continental joining in a little over a month ? Continental cant get too close just yet, but UAL and US certainly can talk. Neither has much cash, but figuring out a way to save money certainly needs talking.
#63
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: PIT/DFW/MEL; AA Exec. Platinum & 4MM, QF WP
Posts: 7,689
it is one of the routes that AA had agreed to fly in the previous US-UA merger.
#64
Join Date: May 2008
Location: West Hollywood, CA (LAX)
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Posts: 141
but that was a long time ago and AA never started the route. Are there plans for them to start it up or something?
#65
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 62
1) US's $137 million cash influx from their stock offering: http://www.businessweek.com/ap/finan.../D9B0IO5O2.htm
2) US's lack of fuel hedging: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/3/fde5850c-a...nclick_check=1
For example, US Airways – the most domestically focused, and with perhaps the most marginal route network – has barely any fuel hedging in place now. Should the winter prove particularly harsh, liquidation or consolidation will be the only realistic options remaining. The latter will be good for the industry, if not for the forced mergees, but only slowly and after considerably more pain.
Do these two offset each other enough to keep a US-UA merger out of play?
If so, whose stock would would be more attractive to purchase at this point? US or UA? Or neither? @:-)
#66
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It's a seasonal change. Assuming the two airlines are still two separate airlines next Summer, UA will likely bring them back.
#67
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#68
Join Date: May 2008
Location: West Hollywood, CA (LAX)
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Posts: 141
Yeah, thats too bad! They definitely have a large enough presence here at LAX to make it work, I agree. It would be nice to see them on this route...they already do well on the LAX-EWR route.
#69
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#70
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Los Angeles, CA
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Posts: 6,956
Agreed. If I only had a dollar for every time one of my friends or co-workers told me they were flying LAX-ORD-PHL on AA, I would have enough money to fly PHL-BOS on a BloFare!
#71
Join Date: May 2006
Location: PHL/EWR
Programs: UA, AA
Posts: 1,821
Wouldn't it make sense for UA and US to be talking right now, as they coordinate CO's entry into *A?
I suspect what we'll be hearing is lounge access details, any updates to earning across airlines, terminal moves, that kind of stuff. One can only dream, but maybe they'll all have to do free booze in order to stay competitive with DL. In any case, they have to do some amount of talking, and probably will be sharing some services to cut costs.
I suspect what we'll be hearing is lounge access details, any updates to earning across airlines, terminal moves, that kind of stuff. One can only dream, but maybe they'll all have to do free booze in order to stay competitive with DL. In any case, they have to do some amount of talking, and probably will be sharing some services to cut costs.
#72
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#73
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: PIT/DFW/MEL; AA Exec. Platinum & 4MM, QF WP
Posts: 7,689
nevertheless, they will still have upwards of 200 more mainline aircraft in service than UA, which is rapidly shrinking its mainline fleet to near US-size...
#74
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Two pertinent things have happened, as I can tell, that lend strength to this rumor mill:
1) US's $137 million cash influx from their stock offering: http://www.businessweek.com/ap/finan.../D9B0IO5O2.htm
2) US's lack of fuel hedging: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/3/fde5850c-a...nclick_check=1
1) US's $137 million cash influx from their stock offering: http://www.businessweek.com/ap/finan.../D9B0IO5O2.htm
2) US's lack of fuel hedging: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/3/fde5850c-a...nclick_check=1
As far as the stock offerings go, I don't know the motivations. I see that UA did one today, too. But "everyone" in the industry is currently doing them. CFOs seem to like having lots of cash.
#75
Join Date: May 2008
Location: West Hollywood, CA (LAX)
Programs: United Mileage Plus, Virgin America Elevate
Posts: 141
I just saw over on the CO forum that they're now talking about merger rumors with CO and UA!