ok - call me crazy - AA/SWA merger by 2015

[satpak77]

call me crazy but I see AA/SWA merger in five years. I see AMR's financial situation and market share not signifigantly improving in light of UAL/CAL, NWA/DAL, etc and the desire for a partner. They don't need international, but they need to "make friends" with an domestic opponent (who themselves desire international) and then go back out on the playground and kick everybody's ass.

AA/SWA? Both non-ALPA, both Dallas HQ'ed (allowing for behind the scenes meetings by upper management), both fly 737's, etc. Boeing intensive fleet. Etc.

Only think would be a culture clash, I recall a book about SW stating that their employee hiring, recruitment, etc was almost specifically designed to be the opposite of AA's.

I think both CEO's are going to drive from each's office to Del Friscos steakhouse and make nice....

Yes, I know it is "impossible" but....

 

[Flying the Line]

Not just impossible, but regoddamndicculous.

 

[N1atEcon]

You need to go get you prescription refilled ASAP.

Delusional disorder is a psychiatric diagnosis denoting a psychotic mental disorder that is characterized by holding one or more non-bizarre delusions[1] in the absence of any other significant psychopathology. Non-bizarre delusions are fixed beliefs that are certainly and definitely false, but that could possibly be plausible, for example, someone who thinks he or she is under police surveillance. In order for the diagnosis to be made auditory and visual hallucinations cannot be prominent, although olfactory or tactile hallucinations related to the content of the delusion may be present.[2]

 

[gator_hater]

Only think would be a culture clash

there is your problem. Culture is the hardest thing to deal with in a merger. The assets and the airplanes are the easy part but employees who don't get a long are the most difficult part to predict because they get to think for themselves. For example see the AW/USAir.

 

[Dan Roman]

you're crazy.

 

[GuppyWN]

If we could take the airplanes and flight crews and ********************-can everyone else I'd be all for it. That is, except for the Eagle guys and the RJ's. Southwest already flies the 737 like a big RJ.

I'd like to be the one to personally fire every gate agent.

Gup

 

[waka]

call me crazy but I see AA/SWA merger in five years. I see AMR's financial situation and market share not signifigantly improving in light of UAL/CAL, NWA/DAL, etc and the desire for a partner. They don't need international, but they need to "make friends" with an domestic opponent (who themselves desire international) and then go back out on the playground and kick everybody's ass.

AA/SWA? Both non-ALPA, both Dallas HQ'ed (allowing for behind the scenes meetings by upper management), both fly 737's, etc. Boeing intensive fleet. Etc.

Only think would be a culture clash, I recall a book about SW stating that their employee hiring, recruitment, etc was almost specifically designed to be the opposite of AA's.

I think both CEO's are going to drive from each's office to Del Friscos steakhouse and make nice....

Yes, I know it is "impossible" but....

There is no "but". There is as much chance of this as a merger between PETA and KFC or Michelle Obama letting John McCain have his way with her.

This theory of yours is preposterous.

 

[satpak77]

There is no "but". There is as much chance of this as a merger between PETA and KFC or Michelle Obama letting John McCain have his way with her.

This theory of yours is preposterous.

Those examples are indeed pretty impossible....

with that said, with all the mergers going on, AA and SWA may be the only one left without a date (except each other) when Prom starts. SWA would like international exposure but Kelly has come out and said "not on SWA planes" (or similar statement).

So in the end, SWA could benefit from AA, and AA could benefit from SWA. I see this as more likely than SWA and JBLU. What does JBLU bring to the table, really?

I see a AA/SWA merger but both entities operated separately, but one stock symbol, representing quarterly profits and income reported from both (actually, one) carriers. It may be possible for a customer to fly on one ticket, checking bags once, from Madrid to Lubbock with coverage provided by EGF, AAL, or SWA. More options, more choices for the customer, and everything on one ticket, one frequent flier account, etc.


unlikely, but...just sayin'

 

[BornAgainPagan]

AA/SWA? Both non-ALPA, both Dallas HQ'ed (allowing for behind the scenes meetings by upper management), both fly 737's, etc. Boeing intensive fleet. Etc.

Wow! I think you're on to something here! You know, because history has demonstrated that airlines won't merge unless they're in the same city and that they have the same airplanes!

You should send your resume to Dionne Warwick's Psychic Friends Network. I am sure they will welcome your amazing powers of deductive reasoning!

 

[BornAgainPagan]

....... or Michelle Obama letting John McCain have his way with her.

I just threw up a little in my mouth.