New Airline Merger Makes it the Worlds Largest.
May 3rd 2010, 5:08 pm
#1
BE Forum Addict
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2003
Location: Grand Rapids, MI
Posts: 4,525
New Airline Merger Makes it the Worlds Largest.
As we know Delta and Northwest merged but if plans go ahead the merger between United and Continental will pass Delta/Northwest and will be the new worlds largest.
It bothers me in that there will be little competition in the pricing. I guess watch this space and see what happens.
It bothers me in that there will be little competition in the pricing. I guess watch this space and see what happens.
May 3rd 2010, 5:09 pm
#2
BE Forum Addict
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2003
Location: Grand Rapids, MI
Posts: 4,525
Re: New Airline Merger Makes it the Worlds Largest.
May 3rd 2010, 5:11 pm
#3
Forum Regular
Joined: May 2009
Location: Duluth, GA
Posts: 76
Re: New Airline Merger Makes it the Worlds Largest.
Can't stand Continental, I was happy when they finally left SkyTeam. Sucks for me as I am looking to move to SF Bay area and therefore switch my allegiance from Delta to United.
May 3rd 2010, 5:14 pm
#4
Account Closed
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 0
Re: New Airline Merger Makes it the Worlds Largest.
Domestically the US needs less airlines, there are too many now competing for too few passengers.
Consolidation is needed for the US to have healthy airlines again.
Domestically there will be no shortage of airlines providing competition.
Southwest
US Airways
Air Tran
Jetblue
Virgin America
Frontier
American
Delta
United (assuming the merger goes through)
Plus the smaller players such as Spirit, Sun Country.
Thats still 9 airlines providing service, several of which are major players.
Fares (at this time) in general are not sustainable for the airlines and most haven't report decent profits in a decade, even Southwest reported a fairly small profit for the 1st quarter and they are one of the best run airlines out there, most others reported yet more losses.
Even international to Europe if one is willing to connect plenty of competition.
Consolidation is needed for the US to have healthy airlines again.
Domestically there will be no shortage of airlines providing competition.
Southwest
US Airways
Air Tran
Jetblue
Virgin America
Frontier
American
Delta
United (assuming the merger goes through)
Plus the smaller players such as Spirit, Sun Country.
Thats still 9 airlines providing service, several of which are major players.
Fares (at this time) in general are not sustainable for the airlines and most haven't report decent profits in a decade, even Southwest reported a fairly small profit for the 1st quarter and they are one of the best run airlines out there, most others reported yet more losses.
Even international to Europe if one is willing to connect plenty of competition.
Last edited by scrubbedexpat091; May 3rd 2010 at 5:16 pm.
May 3rd 2010, 5:28 pm
#5
BE Forum Addict
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2003
Location: Grand Rapids, MI
Posts: 4,525
Re: New Airline Merger Makes it the Worlds Largest.
Flying internation from Detroit or Chicago most of those would not be an option.
May 3rd 2010, 5:37 pm
#6
Account Closed
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 0
Re: New Airline Merger Makes it the Worlds Largest.
International from both those airports, Continental would not have much affect on fares, + you have a variety of foreign airlines also providing competition.
There really is no shortage of competition with this merger.
May 3rd 2010, 5:44 pm
#7
BE Forum Addict
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2003
Location: Grand Rapids, MI
Posts: 4,525
Re: New Airline Merger Makes it the Worlds Largest.
Delta Northwest & United are the main players in this area.
May 3rd 2010, 8:30 pm
#8
SUPER MODERATOR
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 88,017
Re: New Airline Merger Makes it the Worlds Largest.
I hope they don't cancel the Newark to Manchester route...Continental was the only airline that flies that route. 
May 3rd 2010, 8:39 pm
#9
Account Closed
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 0
Re: New Airline Merger Makes it the Worlds Largest.
May 4th 2010, 1:57 am
#10
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 6,848
Re: New Airline Merger Makes it the Worlds Largest.
No wonder they've recently joined Star Alliance (United is also *A) which ties up the deal neatly between the two airlines.
I was chatting with an Aussie expat friend (who spends most of his working life on overseas trips) and he was wondering why the airlines have mergers. I reckoned it's probably a way to axe staff, routes, aircraft (no duplication of routes) fewer benefits eg. pension scheme, medical? Otherwise, why would they do it?
May 4th 2010, 2:03 am
#11
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Feb 2004
Location: South Florida
Posts: 2,068
Re: New Airline Merger Makes it the Worlds Largest.
I was chatting with an Aussie expat friend (who spends most of his working life on overseas trips) and he was wondering why the airlines have mergers. I reckoned it's probably a way to axe staff, routes, aircraft (no duplication of routes) fewer benefits eg. pension scheme, medical? Otherwise, why would they do it?
May 4th 2010, 3:01 am
#12
SUPER MODERATOR
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 88,017
Re: New Airline Merger Makes it the Worlds Largest.
I can't stand Continental either and it's the main airline from my local airport (Newark/EWR)! With a *few exceptions*, I've observed that many of their employees (ground staff and flight attendants, are miserable and indeed downright rude to passengers).
No wonder they've recently joined Star Alliance (United is also *A) which ties up the deal neatly between the two airlines.
I was chatting with an Aussie expat friend (who spends most of his working life on overseas trips) and he was wondering why the airlines have mergers. I reckoned it's probably a way to axe staff, routes, aircraft (no duplication of routes) fewer benefits eg. pension scheme, medical? Otherwise, why would they do it?
No wonder they've recently joined Star Alliance (United is also *A) which ties up the deal neatly between the two airlines.
I was chatting with an Aussie expat friend (who spends most of his working life on overseas trips) and he was wondering why the airlines have mergers. I reckoned it's probably a way to axe staff, routes, aircraft (no duplication of routes) fewer benefits eg. pension scheme, medical? Otherwise, why would they do it?
May 4th 2010, 4:40 am
#13
Account Closed
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 0
Re: New Airline Merger Makes it the Worlds Largest.
I can't stand Continental either and it's the main airline from my local airport (Newark/EWR)! With a *few exceptions*, I've observed that many of their employees (ground staff and flight attendants, are miserable and indeed downright rude to passengers).
No wonder they've recently joined Star Alliance (United is also *A) which ties up the deal neatly between the two airlines.
I was chatting with an Aussie expat friend (who spends most of his working life on overseas trips) and he was wondering why the airlines have mergers. I reckoned it's probably a way to axe staff, routes, aircraft (no duplication of routes) fewer benefits eg. pension scheme, medical? Otherwise, why would they do it?
No wonder they've recently joined Star Alliance (United is also *A) which ties up the deal neatly between the two airlines.
I was chatting with an Aussie expat friend (who spends most of his working life on overseas trips) and he was wondering why the airlines have mergers. I reckoned it's probably a way to axe staff, routes, aircraft (no duplication of routes) fewer benefits eg. pension scheme, medical? Otherwise, why would they do it?
You dont need to merge to lay off staff and both have laid off plenty over the past 10 years.
Houston based crews tend to be friendlier, Newark is Newark and friendliness in general is not common from the trips on other airlines and hotels I've stayed at.
May 4th 2010, 8:35 am
#14
Just Joined
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 21
Re: New Airline Merger Makes it the Worlds Largest.
Domestically the US needs less airlines, there are too many now competing for too few passengers.
Consolidation is needed for the US to have healthy airlines again.
Domestically there will be no shortage of airlines providing competition.
Southwest
US Airways
Air Tran
Jetblue
Virgin America
Frontier
American
Delta
United (assuming the merger goes through)
Plus the smaller players such as Spirit, Sun Country.
Thats still 9 airlines providing service, several of which are major players.
Fares (at this time) in general are not sustainable for the airlines and most haven't report decent profits in a decade, even Southwest reported a fairly small profit for the 1st quarter and they are one of the best run airlines out there, most others reported yet more losses.
Even international to Europe if one is willing to connect plenty of competition.
Consolidation is needed for the US to have healthy airlines again.
Domestically there will be no shortage of airlines providing competition.
Southwest
US Airways
Air Tran
Jetblue
Virgin America
Frontier
American
Delta
United (assuming the merger goes through)
Plus the smaller players such as Spirit, Sun Country.
Thats still 9 airlines providing service, several of which are major players.
Fares (at this time) in general are not sustainable for the airlines and most haven't report decent profits in a decade, even Southwest reported a fairly small profit for the 1st quarter and they are one of the best run airlines out there, most others reported yet more losses.
Even international to Europe if one is willing to connect plenty of competition.
May 4th 2010, 3:24 pm
#15
Account Closed
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 0
Re: New Airline Merger Makes it the Worlds Largest.
Merger is better then a large airline going under, and for most of the public, prices are not likely to increase by much if at all, especially domestically.
The US is not in short supply for competition when it comes to airlines.