Following three years of "hard work" with financial restructuring in bankruptcy, United Airlines, now is on solid footing to participate in the merger and acquisition market, Tilton told reporters on Friday.
Tilton also said that he might be looking into partnering with airports such as Star Alliance member Lufthansa AG has done in Europe already. "Europe is ahead of us" in putting ground and air businesses together in the industry.
So the question is brought up again, who to merge with?
All the signs keep pointing to a United - Continental merger. We will just have to see how things play out. I have my money on Continental though. Just imagine United's route structure combined with Continental's routes. Services and products coming together. But don't rule out an international merger too. An AirFrance-KLM merger type of deal.
Chron.com
Former CEO of Continental Airlines, Gordon Bethune, even said in an interview with the New Jersey Star Ledger last week that he believes a United-Continental merger would spell Checkmate.
"Well, it would be strategic. Just take a look at it. United has Chicago, a huge market, Denver, the West Coast. They have facilities in San Francisco and L.A. that you can't replicate and never will. They have access beyond Tokyo, which are governmental rights that Continental can't ever, ever get. They have access to London Heathrow, which Continental will never get. Continental owns New York, has the best European connections out of New York out of anybody. And Latin America? It's the No. 2 carrier. It's got a huge operation in Houston, which is contiguous to Mexico. You put these two companies together, it's called checkmate."
Gordan goes on to say that if the two would merge he believes the Continental management should run the company because they have experience in this area. Gordon also believes that anyone with an IQ over 40 could see how these two airlines together would be an excellent move.
You can read the entire frank interview HERE.
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