I often wonder how aviation would look had the Big 3 US airlines merged differently.
Legacy AA and DL would have been a phenomenal match, in terms of both fleet and network. AA and DL had almost exactly the same fleet, and the combined network would combine hubs at LGA, JFK, and LAX.
I also think US Airways and Northwest would have been great together for the same reasons.
Thoughts?
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Re: Alternative Mergers (AA+DL, AW+NW)
DL+UA and CO+NW would have been much better matches than AA+DL or US+NW. AA+DL does nothing to address both airline's weaknesses in Asia. US+NW would still be weak in Latin/South America and behind their competitors across the Atlantic.
When you are talking about airlines the size of the former Big 6 fleet commonality really does not matter much.
When you are talking about airlines the size of the former Big 6 fleet commonality really does not matter much.
Re: Alternative Mergers (AA+DL, AW+NW)
It would be interesting to consider what would have happened if the failed merger deals of the last decade were actually completed. UA/US was actually in process, then there were substantiated reports of DL/UA merger talks, which led to rumors of a CO/NW hook-up. Finally, US (post HP, pre AA) unsuccessfully tried to make bid for DL.
Re: Alternative Mergers (AA+DL, AW+NW)
There was a time when AA and NW explored a merger. I forget when that occurred, but it was between 1995 and before AA's takeover of TWA. While the fleet would have presented some issues (AA was leaning towards becoming an all-Boeing fleet, and owning 747s would have gone against Bob Crandall's notion that 4-engine aircraft were dinosaurs), it would have created a carrier with a strong presence across the Atlantic, the Pacific, and Latin America.
The only real pitfalls would have been having three hubs (MSP, ORD, and DTW) all within 500 miles or less of each other.
Granted, ORD was starting to suffer through some horrible congestion, especially when weather slowed down the arrival rate. So, MSP or DTW would have been a great relief airport. But, the combined carrier didn't need three hubs in the Great Lakes region.
The only real pitfalls would have been having three hubs (MSP, ORD, and DTW) all within 500 miles or less of each other.
Granted, ORD was starting to suffer through some horrible congestion, especially when weather slowed down the arrival rate. So, MSP or DTW would have been a great relief airport. But, the combined carrier didn't need three hubs in the Great Lakes region.
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