I just don’t see this happening, at least not anytime soon. The big play AMR is banking on is a merger with BA/Iberia, which is supposedly coming this fall or winter. AA and BA have been working to make this happen for a decade. AMR is not thinking domestically as much as globally.

The sad thing, AA will be to BA to what Eagle is to AA – just a feed.

With the credit markets frozen, airlines shrinking, and the current economic environment still clouded, I just don’t see any of the majors making a big play this time. It’s just too risky plus AMR doesn’t have access to the money/credit like they had in the past. AA is only doing slightly better than UAL and USAIR now, which doesn’t exactly put us into that good of a position to be buying an airline.

The other plausible scenario is for the stronger players to wait for USAIR and UAL to fall into BK and then pluck off the pieces like vultures. Sad but true.

On the other hand……you just never know. Best of luck to all of us.

AA767AV8TOR