Whoa there everyone! Not a merger. Then we'd have to adopt best practices, change all the flight manuals, then install the acquired companies management, give them parachutes, massive stock options, and testify before congress how there would be no furloughs, and everyone gets an expeditious contract. Then go to a completely new reservations system that can handle only half the traffic. Oh, I almost forgot, start giving away all our first class seats to hopefully get our premium passengers back from Delta....

Now for something completely different, a buy out.