Originally Posted by
ShyGuy
I'm not sure I follow all this merger mania. The facts (so far, at least) seem to show the unmerged having their go at it. Spirit looks like it'll be taken over by either Frontier or jetBlue. AS is still cleaning up the VX merger so I don't see how they go out and just buy someone else. SWA make a play for AS is about the most reasonable of the possibilities, or a AS/HAL merger. But I don't see anything in the next 3 weeks or whatever OTZ's timeframe was.
Of course, I could be wrong. Nothing would surprise me. I still think the merger mania is going to be the un-merged carriers going at it. Spirit, jetBlue, Frontier, Sun Country, Allegiant, and maybe even the new entrants like Avelo and Breeze. If Avelo can make it, I can see them being bought by a bigger carrier - such has been the case of many California-based airlines. Heck, Alaska bought two.
Alaska was nervous enough about JB picking up VX that they stepped in and overpaid by a $Billion or so.
That tells me they have considered at least one scenario, and quite likely others, where it would be in their best interest to acquire another airline, irrespective of the cost.
The airline sector is currently ripe with the expectation of further consolidations, and AS could get left behind, if they are caught asleep at the wheel. If this current moment doesn't cause them to make a defensive, or an offensive move, I doubt anything else will.