Originally Posted by
Flyby1206
The DOT only cares about slot restricted markets, and in particular NYC. The only carrier AA could realistically merge with that might require a small divestiture of slots would be jetblue.
The BTS data shows JFK and LGA major players are, in order:
- Jet Blue (5.16m passengers, 21.83% of the market)
- Delta (4.99m/21.12%)
- American (3.89m/16.47%)
- American Eagle (893.13k/3.78%)
Delta (not including their connection flying) is the second largest player in LGA/JFK (by a fraction of a percentage point), and, with the recent US Airways DCA/LGA slot swap, has consolidated their position in LGA. Delta has the most valuable slot portfolio of US carriers, and second only to BA in the world (most/all those Delta Connection RJ's are slot holders for Delta in JFK, LGA, and DCA), and then there's the slots in HND and NRT, plus all the atlantic Pan Am legacy route authorities.
UniCal carried more international passengers than any other US airline, controls over 60% the passengers in EWR, and is one of 3 major players in the trans-atlantic LHR market - slots so valuable that AA aquired TWA to get them.
AA is the only airlines that hubs out of the top 4 most populous metro areas in the US and has all their hubs in the top 10 metro areas (NYC, LA, Chicago and Dallas - Miami is #8), is the #4 domestic airline and the #2 international airline in the US (by passenger emplanements) and is the sole US airline to hub out of the US's busiest airport by international passenger #'s . . . MIA (yes, MIA).
You can be assured, JetBlue will not be the only dance partner with AA who would have to give up assets. AA is a great airline all on its own - it doesn't need to merge with anyone.