United, American and Delta Executives Agree: Airline Mergers Are 'Beautiful'
Skift Take
Airline consolidation is getting disruptive these days -- and not just for stressed out passengers. New global joint ventures such as Virgin Atlantic-Delta and Emirates-Qantas are shaking up the status quo, and will be increasingly challenging to global airline alliances.
"It's gonna be beautiful, it's gonna be awesome, it's gonna be the best airline ever."
Thus said Derek DeCross, American Airlines' vice president of global sales, as he jested yesterday about the prospects of the new American Airlines, resulting from its pending marriage with US Airways.
Sitting on a panel with his peers from United Airlines and Delta Air Lines at the GBTA conference in San Diego, DeCross noted that American's reorganization plan will get bankruptcy court consideration next week, and then American and US Airways will await a green light from the Department of Justice. (And, slot concessions may be part of any approval.)
The two airlines hope to begin codeshares in the weeks following the final approvals, DeCross said, cautioning that mergers are "fraught with opportunities to take the wrong step."
With Delta having merged with Northwest in 2008, and United and Continent
