Thu, May 15, 2008
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."
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