Parker Would Run Airline; Other Phoenix-Based Workers Sent Packing?

Aviation industry analysts have been scratching their heads, trying to figure out how a seemingly oil-into-water joining of US Airways and United Airlines would efficiently merge the two troubled carriers. Now, the Phoenix Business Journal reports the answer is... by making big changes.

The paper cites a Chicago Tribune story which quotes -- all together now, "unnamed sources close to the talks" -- as saying the combined carrier would be headquartered in United's home city of Chicago, eliminating US Airways' current headquarters in Tempe, AZ.

US Airways CEO Doug Parker (right) would move to Chicago and head the new airline, but as many as 10,000 US Airways employees in the Tempe/Phoenix area could lose their jobs, and the combined airline's hub structure would be in for realignment.

As ANN has reported, United restarted what had been preliminary talks about a merger with US Airways after being snubbed by Continental Airlines, which most industry analysts viewed as a far more compatible partner. But that Houston-based airline disagreed... opting instead to go it alone as an independent carrier, or as the third wheel in a possible alliance -- not merger -- with British Airways and American Airlines.

That apparently sent United -- and its merger-happy CEO, Glenn Tilton -- into the waiting arms of US Airways, which itself continues to struggle to handle personnel issues stemming from its 2005 merger with the former America West.

Although many speculated last week a United/US Air deal was in the offing, there's still no official word of such a deal going forth... and executives at both airlines aren't giving any hints. US Airways spokesman Morgan Durant declined to comment on what he called "speculation and rumor."

FMI: www.usairways.com, www.united.com