American Airlines-US Airways merger: Why Doug Parker will be CEO

The biggest sticking point right now in the impending American Airlines-US Airways merger isn't the money or the labor contracts or even the name. It's the man who will run the merged airline. It's a debate, and conversation that is being played out in aviation circles, boardrooms, and among AMR Corp.'s creditors, and all signs point toward US Airways CEO Parker taking the CEO slot and being assigned the task of heading a merged airline, should the deal go through. Various reports suggest that US Airways president Scott Kirby would come along with Parker for the ride, and Horton could stay on in a lesser role such as vice chairman. Their respective track records point to Parker getting the nod in a landslide, although defenders of American CEO Horton argue he's capable, and being somewhat unfairly tainted with the baggage and legacy of his predecessors. As to their track records, American Airlines has been compiling years of red ink, is still currently in bankruptcy, and it