Jaws707 From United States of America, joined Aug 2001, 708 posts, RR: 1 Posted (6 years 6 months 2 weeks 9 hours ago) and read 6865 times:
I'm sitting here thinking about airlines and looking over different route maps, and this strikes me like an ideal couple. Their routes have very little overlap, they could have the backbone of the fleet be the 717 and 737, and they would have a very strong presence in the Northwest US as well as the Southeast US. Potential main hubs in ANC, SEA, ATL, and smaller hubs in Indy, and LA. What do you guys think about Airtran and Alaska merging?
B6WNQX From United States of America, joined Jun 2006, 238 posts, RR: 0 Reply 1, posted (6 years 6 months 2 weeks 8 hours ago) and read 6815 times:
While there is the potential for this kind of merger, but AS still likes to be independent and with many codeshares. AS is currently in the process of transitioning to a all Boring 737 fleet and I don't know if they would want the 717 at this time.
Also, it would have to either be AS buying Airtran or they would have to have an equal merger because AS is a very pricey airline to buy in the open market.
It could work but I just don't see it anytime soon.
Gmcc From United States of America, joined Apr 2006, 186 posts, RR: 0 Reply 2, posted (6 years 6 months 2 weeks 8 hours ago) and read 6795 times:
Quoting Jaws707 (Thread starter): What do you guys think about Airtran and Alaska merging?
I don't particularly like it. I personally don't think that AS wants to reintroduce another aircraft type with the 717. I personally like the idea of a AS SY merger, fleet commonality with little overlap and a new hub for AS in MSP. It will not happen because. I don't think AS is in a purchasing mood and SY just got bought by a private group but one can wish.
GRRTVC From United States of America, joined Sep 2003, 272 posts, RR: 1 Reply 3, posted (6 years 6 months 2 weeks 5 hours ago) and read 6667 times:
Out of all the "potential" mergers this in my opinion would make the most sense. AS is big on the west coast and FL is big on the east with little to no overlap.
Although AS is going all B737 the introduction of the B717 into the fleet would not be that big of an issue. Some of the positives are that FL's 717 fleet is all the same: flight decks, power plants, etc. The FL mechanics are trained on the 717 and would continue to do the mx.
Out of all the "potential" mergers this would be the one I would like see.
Midway2AirTran From United States of America, joined Jul 2003, 864 posts, RR: 2 Reply 4, posted (6 years 6 months 2 weeks 3 hours ago) and read 6602 times:
While it looks sort of good on a route map, where does this actually add value to either carrier? Not much more to offer than US-HP, actually less.
If AirTran were to merge with a Network partner, FL would benefit further with somebody with more International markets and Alliance to help FL compete with rival Delta.
I see FL-UA adding value to each other in a transaction to combine under a similar holding company while working interdependently on the ops/scheduling side.
COERJ145 From United States of America, joined Jun 2005, 1420 posts, RR: 1 Reply 6, posted (6 years 6 months 2 weeks 2 hours ago) and read 6536 times:
Quoting Gmcc (Reply 2): I don't particularly like it. I personally don't think that AS wants to reintroduce another aircraft type with the 717. I personally like the idea of a AS SY merger, fleet commonality with little overlap and a new hub for AS in MSP.
True, but that would end a partnership with NW immediatly. I doubt NW or AS would want that. Now an AS/CO merger, that would work. Or an SY/FL meger could be interesting.
AlexInWa From United States of America, joined Sep 2000, 1107 posts, RR: 0 Reply 7, posted (6 years 6 months 2 weeks 2 hours ago) and read 6494 times:
AS has quietly said that the only two airlines that it would consider a merge with are CO and NW. This is NOT to say that they want one. In fact they have said the opposite many times.
As others have said AS would be a very expensive pick-up. Not sure any airline out there can come close to even thinking about it. AS has a lock on the west coast and continues to make itself better. In doing so it makes itself less likely of a take-over rather than more likely.
WN has and is learning that AS is very stubborn. Don't let the high price of SEA fool you. AS has matched WN on every move they have made on what really is it's (AS) turf.
I believe AS would really be one of the last airlines to merge with anyone.
But just for fun, I would rather see a AS/NW merger 1st, then AS/CO. Who cares about fleets, put AS and NW together, that to me would be a hard to beat number one domestic airline. Massive cover all the USA over, plus the international would be huge.
Bushpilot From South Africa, joined Jul 2007, 0 posts, RR: 1 Reply 8, posted (6 years 6 months 2 weeks 2 hours ago) and read 6462 times:
I would prefer to see AS merge with someone with a partial widebody fleet and overseas flights. I guess I dont see the benefit of AS and FL working really. I dont think fleet commonality would be such a big issue as to hold something like this back if it were in the works. Both are at least Boeing. I dont know off the top of my head how old the FL fleet is, but I understand it is pretty young. Interesting idea, but I doubt it will happen anytime soon.
DesertAir From Mexico, joined Jan 2006, 1389 posts, RR: 0 Reply 9, posted (6 years 6 months 2 weeks 1 hour ago) and read 6451 times:
Both Alaska and AirTran have created unique airline cultures. I think this is great and would like to see more of this. The bland mega-carriers have lost the spirit of the many great small, regional and national carriers of the past. While seamless travel is important and necessary, the loss of the colorful carriers of former years is a loss to airline culture.
Matt D From United States of America, joined Nov 1999, 9502 posts, RR: 51 Reply 10, posted (6 years 6 months 2 weeks 1 hour ago) and read 6403 times:
1. Let's face it. The only reason 90% of the people here would hope to see any sort of merger of this ilk is because they would want to spot or photograph an Alaska 717. Or an AirTran MD-80, whichever.
2. What GOOD has EVER come out of any merger...besides maybe preserving seniority lists for some of the employees? How does the TRAVELLING PUBLIC benefit from an oligopolistic market?
3. Did it ever occur to anyone that perhaps this concept of "seamless" travel from Juneau to Jacksonville to Jakarta to Jupiter is PART of the problems facing airlines today?
One airline can't reasonably hope to be all things to all people in all places at all times. Perhaps this is why so-called "niche" airlines serving a specific market segment...such as Southwest, Midwest, and Alaska continue to flourish while the dinosaurs (Delta, Northwest, etc) continue on their lumbering slash-and burn hand-to-mouth existences.
4. It never ceases to amaze me how people think mergers would "work" simply because two airlines have complimentary fleets or the dots and lines on a map look neat when overlapped.
PlanesNTrains From United States of America, joined Feb 2005, 4536 posts, RR: 28 Reply 11, posted (6 years 6 months 2 weeks ago) and read 6314 times:
I agree that AS will likely remain independant - why fix what ain't broken. Having said that, if it were to happen, an AS+CO deal would seem like a good fit from a fleet, route structure, and perhaps cultural perspective.
AS+FL looks nice, but really doesn't provide a strategic fit for either carrier.
AS+SY is a no-go IMO.
SY+FL is interesting, but is FL up to the challenge?
Were it not for the fleets being incompatible, AS+F9 would also have been a nice consideration.
In the end, AS isn't cheap, and is doing decent, so a merger isn't on their list of things to do I'd imagine.
B6WNQX From United States of America, joined Jun 2006, 238 posts, RR: 0 Reply 12, posted (6 years 6 months 1 week 6 days 22 hours ago) and read 6226 times:
Quoting AlexInWa (Reply 7): AS has quietly said that the only two airlines that it would consider a merge with are CO and NW
I for one would love to see this. The additional benefit would be that CO could try to get the scope clauses changed to allow 76 seat props and QX could start that up going across the whole country. I think that they both have awesome images and products, but CO is relatively week on the west coast and AS/QX is week everywhere but the west coast.
Antoniemey From United States of America, joined Dec 2005, 1503 posts, RR: 4 Reply 13, posted (6 years 6 months 1 week 6 days 10 hours ago) and read 6083 times:
Quoting B6WNQX (Reply 12): he additional benefit would be that CO could try to get the scope clauses changed to allow 76 seat props and QX could start that up going across the whole country.
76 seat props are already allowed... it's the jets that would be a problem.
Make something Idiot-proof, and the Universe will make a more inept idiot.
B6WNQX From United States of America, joined Jun 2006, 238 posts, RR: 0 Reply 14, posted (6 years 6 months 1 week 6 days 9 hours ago) and read 6044 times:
Quoting Antoniemey (Reply 13): 76 seat props are already allowed... it's the jets that would be a problem.
Thanks for the clarification. I know that they are adding some Q200/300's leased from QX to be based on the east coast but why don't they follow suit of F9 and purchsae some Q400's then and place them with the regionals? I know that they have said that they want the Q400's flying in their colors and this would be a way for them to get on their terms so to speak.
I didn't find a Q400 in CO colors on modified airliners. Anyone wanna take a stab at it???
B737700doctor From United States of America, joined exactly 8 years ago today! , 77 posts, RR: 0 Reply 15, posted (6 years 6 months 1 week 1 day 6 hours ago) and read 5815 times:
Alaska737 From United States of America, joined Feb 2006, 1056 posts, RR: 6 Reply 16, posted (6 years 6 months 1 week 1 day 1 hour ago) and read 5714 times:
Quoting B6WNQX (Reply 1): to a all Boring 737 fleet and
am i the only one that noticed this???
Quoting COERJ145 (Reply 6): Now an AS/CO merger, that would work
AS will not get reid of their Alaska spirit and their Eskimo, they will not sell out to a larger airline, even though CO would be the best big airline for them to merge with, i hope to god it wont happen
Quoting PlanesNTrains (Reply 11):
Were it not for the fleets being incompatible, AS+F9 would also have been a nice consideration.
thats what i was thinking, Alaska and Frontier, thats like and unbeatable duo. the west half of the US would be locked down. QX and Lynx could merge and whoop the crap out of WN, UA, TED and Skywest. that would be a pretty sweet merger, and im glad someone else thought so too.
...i wonder if F9Animal would still bad mouth AS????
B737700doctor From United States of America, joined exactly 8 years ago today! , 77 posts, RR: 0 Reply 17, posted (6 years 6 months 4 hours ago) and read 5519 times:
I just hope that with all this airline merger talk, that poor little airtran wont be left in the dark.
HPRamper From United States of America, joined May 2005, 3661 posts, RR: 8 Reply 19, posted (6 years 6 months 1 hour ago) and read 5445 times:
Quoting Matt D (Reply 10): What GOOD has EVER come out of any merger...besides maybe preserving seniority lists for some of the employees? How does the TRAVELLING PUBLIC benefit from an oligopolistic market?
Since when are airlines charities? If the AIRLINE makes more money from a merger, and becomes a more stable entity, then it's a good move. Period.
Matt D From United States of America, joined Nov 1999, 9502 posts, RR: 51 Reply 20, posted (6 years 6 months 1 hour ago) and read 5443 times:
I agree with you HP.
The problem is, most of the posters here in support of these mergers don't see it that way. I would venture to say that almost all of them are thinking #1 and #4 in my above post. Therein lies the difference.
HPRamper From United States of America, joined May 2005, 3661 posts, RR: 8 Reply 21, posted (6 years 6 months 1 hour ago) and read 5437 times:
Quoting Matt D (Reply 20): The problem is, most of the posters here in support of these mergers don't see it that way.
I also think a lot of people have the impression that the better the airline is being run, the cheaper the ticket prices are. And that's why "cutting capacity is BAD!!"
TrijetsRMissed From United States of America, joined Oct 2006, 2097 posts, RR: 6 Reply 22, posted (6 years 6 months 1 hour ago) and read 5436 times:
Quoting Bushpilot (Reply 8): I dont think fleet commonality would be such a big issue as to hold something like this back if it were in the works. Both are at least Boeing.
Lets not kid ourselves. The 717 is only Boeing in name. It really is a McDonnell Douglas MD-95, Boeing had nothing to do with the deisign of the aircraft.
Quoting Matt D (Reply 10): 1. Let's face it. The only reason 90% of the people here would hope to see any sort of merger of this ilk is because they would want to spot or photograph an Alaska 717. Or an AirTran MD-80, whichever.
Yeah, that's it... The fact that AS are phasing out the MD-80's as we speak shows one reason why this post makes no sense.
Quoting Alaska737 (Reply 16): Quoting B6WNQX (Reply 1):
to a all Boring 737 fleet and
am i the only one that noticed this???
I thought it was pretty funny myself. The 737 isn't much to look at.
Sponsor Message: 
From United States of America, joined Aug 2001, 708 posts, 
From South Africa, joined Jul 2007, 0 posts, 
From Mexico, joined Jan 2006, 1389 posts, 
, 77 posts, 
The fact that AS are phasing out the MD-80's as we speak shows one reason why this post makes no sense.
Printer friendly format 
