Originally Posted by embraer

Good points, but also remember the other variable: Merger. If AA merges with any other airline then everything as we know it (contracts, flow throughs, etc..) goes right out the window.

US Air has been desperate to merge with one of the "big Four" for years now. The only one left on it's own is AA..and with BK looming a merger is not out of the question. Latest I saw on the news is that the CEO of US Air has in fact been in contact with AMR regarding just such a thing.