Yeah, I remembered that; but, still, I think the guy was light on his research. Here is the way a post on another forum put it:

Uh... yeah... the only problem is that AA never tried to merge with USAirways in 2000. AMR announced a complex deal in 2001 in which they would buy and/or operate some USAirways stuff so that the United/USAirways merge would be approved, but the UAL/AAA deal was never approved, so the "DC Air" experiment never launched. In any case, regardless of why it was never consummated, no one could ever accurately characterize that arrangement as an AMR/AAA merger.

But the other part of the deal announced in January 2001 was approved.... you know.... the one where AMR bought the assets of TWA and immediately became the world's largest airline, a title I think they still hold to this day, along with the bonds and debt that went with the title.

"Enough has changed" my ass.

My view is that the AWA/AAA merge is the SECOND deal marking recent consolidation in the industry.... the first being the acquisition of TWA by AMR... an acquisition that was driven by the ego of a few men at AMR who never understood that size was not as important as what you did with it and thought the only way to compete with UAL/AAA merged was to buy TWA.

Jetblaster