Overview
- President Donald Trump said Tuesday he opposes a possible United Airlines tie-up with American Airlines, calling the combination undesirable for two carriers he said are doing well.
- American Airlines said late Friday it is not engaged in merger talks with United, and its shares fell about 3% in Monday premarket trading after the denial.
- Senators Elizabeth Warren and Mike Lee sent a bipartisan letter over the weekend to the two CEOs seeking details by May 3 and warning of higher fares, lost routes at hubs like Chicago O’Hare and Dallas/Fort Worth, and wage pressure on airline workers.
- Experts say a deal joining two of the Big Four would face long odds in court, with reported estimates pegging the combined carrier at more than 2,800 aircraft and roughly 40% of U.S. capacity.
- Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has said there is room for airline mergers with asset divestitures, yet there is no formal proposal on file and United has not confirmed any plan beyond reported discussions.