Posted in Evan's Commentary, tagged airports, business, competition, Merger Mania 2008, mergers, network airlines, regulation, united, us airways on April 28, 2008 | No Comments »
Now that Continental has turned down suitor United, the latter is weighing a desperation move: merging with US Airways to create the world’s new largest airline (surpassing Delta-Northwest, assuming that goes through). The airlines may announce a tie-up within the next fortnight. Therefore, it’s time for another Merger Mania 2008 antitrust evaluation.
As you’ll remember from [...]
Read Full Post »
There’s a good article today in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution about value of airline mergers. The AJC focuses on lessons for its hometown airline, Delta. It confirms what I wrote on January 17, exposing the flaws in the US Airways-America West merger obscured by Wall Street’s enthusiasm. Some key points:
“Mergers often look good on paper – [...]
Read Full Post »
So, all the airlines are talking mergers. The investors–especially big institutional investors like hedge funds–are happy, because stocks tend to do a sort of happy-dance after a merger, and right now airline stocks are dancing to a dirge. With mergers, there are tons of issues to discuss: labor, antitrust, operations. Lots of people will make [...]
Read Full Post »
Posted in Evan's Debates, tagged misc., travel, us airways on October 17, 2007 | 1 Comment »
US Airways has responded to A. L. Bardach’s article (fisked here by yours truly) on the Carol Gotbaum incident. I received the letter in an email. It is reprinted with permission after the jump.
Read Full Post »
Sunday’s Washington Post featured an insanely over-the-top airline crisis story by A. L. Bardach. It begins with what should be a Bulwer-Lytton finalist:
I am haunted by the death of Carol Anne Gotbaum.
Yes, the death of Carol Gotbaum in a Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport holding cell was sad. She was a young mother: one might [...]
Read Full Post »
In 2004, US Airways downgraded its operations at Pittsburgh International Airport from hub to focus city status, taking with it half its flights and leaving swathes of terminal unused. Scott McCartney relates the story of what happened next: fares fell through the floor and low-cost carriers rushed in to take advantage of the situation. For [...]
Read Full Post »
