Skift Take
A merger with American and the mega-carrier it will create represents the dream of just about every airline CEO. After being burned by Delta five years ago, Parker is confident this is his moment.
US Airways chief executive Doug Parker is in hot pursuit of a dream -- to create what could be the world's biggest airline.
Parker's target is bankrupt American Airlines. A merger between American and US Airways, the dominant airline at Philadelphia International Airport, would create a company that is wonderfully well-positioned in a complicated industry that has been forced to consolidate.
The bigger the airline, Parker believes, the better the chances to strengthen routes, dictate pricing, and grow profits.
The stakes are high for all the parties, especially US Airways' creditors and shareholders, the employees of American Airlines, and price-conscious air passengers riding out a miserable economy.
[caption id="" align="alignright" width="350"] US Airways plane in terminal at Los Angeles International Airport. Photo by Neil Kremer.[/caption]
American is not a willing partner. It wishes to emerge from bankruptcy as a stand-alone company. So Parker is setting a whirlwind pace to make a merger happen. In recent weeks, he has:
Purchased a small piece of the debt of beleaguered AMR Corp., American's parent company, to become a creditor in American's bankruptcy proceedi
