The lights are on at the Thread next door.....now I this is really going to get interesting!

Check out the date on the article......isn't tomorrow the 26th?? I guess the ink is still wet on this one.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/26/bu...ner=TOPIXNEWS#

Continental and United Said to Be Closer to a Merger
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By MICHELINE MAYNARD
Published: April 26, 2008
United Airlines and Continental Airlines are getting closer to a merger agreement and would like to wrap up a deal by the end of next week, people with direct knowledge of the discussions said Friday.

The negotiations, which have been under way for months, accelerated after Delta Air Lines and Northwest Airlines announced a $3 billion deal on April 14 that would create the nation’s biggest air carrier.

The talks between United and Continental are in an advanced stage but are not yet complete, the people who had been briefed on them said. They requested anonymity because the talks were private.

The two airlines would like to be finished by Thursday, these people added, although the negotiations could easily run into delays.

As with Delta and Northwest, United and Continental would like to win regulatory approval before President Bush leaves office rather than risk delays that could take place under a new president.

Continental is getting ready to provide details of any possible deal, at least if its Web page is any indication.

The airline, based in Houston, has posted a link on its home page to a new part of its site that looks as if it can be transformed into a merger information page, as soon as a deal occurs.

The page went live on April 15, a Continental spokesman, Dave Messing, said Friday, but only began attracting attention this week.

Mr. Messing declined to comment further. A United spokeswoman, Jean Medina, said the company did not comment on “rumors or speculation.”

The link, www.co-industryconsolidation.com, sits next to a headline, “Latest News and Offers.” It is to the right of a form where passengers can book their flights.

“Welcome to a portion of our Web site designed specifically to provide Continental’s perspective on airline industry consolidation,” the site’s first post reads. “We will add new information to this section as it arises.”

Continental’s consolidation page features only a few links — one to news releases, another to a “Frequently Asked Questions” page that talks about what the Delta-Northwest merger might mean to Continental, and a third guiding visitors to company Webcasts.

But, as the welcome letter says, “Please check back here regularly for more information.”

Delta and Northwest also have their own new Web page, www.newglobalairline.com, which they posted April 15.

On Thursday, executives from those airlines sought to reassure members of Congress that their merger would not hurt consumers or result in significant job losses.

The two airlines blamed high fuel prices for a combined loss of $465 million in the first quarter. Delta and Northwest filed for bankruptcy protection on Sept. 14, 2005, after fuel prices spiked in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Delta emerged from Chapter 11 protection in April 2007, while Northwest completed its reorganization a month later.

Shares of United’s parent, the UAL Corporation, fell 19 cents Friday, to $15.21, while Continental closed at $17.22, down 46 cents. Delta stock closed at $7.01, down 25 cents, while Northwest fell 32 cents, to $7.56.

Of course you can Albie, where do you think F-15 drivers come from? :)

Ok, cheap shot, all in fun. Just too easy to forgo a little twist on an old joke.

FJ

:mad: *&%*$ Coasties! ;)

An American and US Airways merger would be a match made in Heaven for me. I could finally work out of DFW! I sure hope it happens.

They are ALL in bed together. This is gonna be like the last time UAL tried to buy AAA. Bits and pieces of AAA are gonna go to different airlines. AA gets the 757's like last time maybe DCA too and UAL will get CLT etc. The west will go to MESA and become MESA GRANDE'!:D Just Kidding , But I do think it will be CAL, UAL, AA and AAA in a room and when they come out there will be only 2 airlines left along with some very rich execs!

I think you are correct. It will be a an orchestrated effort, a shifting of routes and aircraft to appease regulators.


Hold on,

AAflyer

Um... AA still has about 2,000 pilots on the street. Be careful what you wish for.

Sad to say, but I think those AA furloughed might get hosed again given that they do not bring a job to the table of any merger.

No offense, but I said the same thing.

FF
Former TWA

Actualy it's just shy of 1,000. I passed on a May recall which would leave 1,000 pilots to be called behind me and a guess that 400 pilots above me are on mil leave. My seniority number as a 1995 TWA hire, is approx. 10,500 out of roughly 11,500.

But you point is well-taken.

FF