United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby has confirmed that he approached American Airlines with a proposal to explore a merger between the two carriers. In a statement issued on April 27, Kirby outlined his version of events following recent media coverage on the subject.
Kirby stated that he saw an opportunity for United and American to combine in a way that would benefit customers, employees, and the U.S. aviation sector. He said, "I approached American about exploring a combination because I thought we could do something incredible for customers together."
According to Kirby, his intent was to pursue a merger based on growth and customer value, rather than cost-cutting. He emphasized, "The bold idea I wanted to pursue was about growth that would usher in a brand new era of leadership by U.S. aviation."
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Kirby asserted that a combined airline would expand network reach, provide new opportunities for employees, and support U.S. aircraft manufacturing. He claimed, "A combined company would have created tens of thousands of new high paying, unionized jobs with great benefits."
American Airlines has publicly rejected the proposal, stating last week that such a transaction would face significant challenges from anti-trust regulators. American indicated it was not interested in pursuing a merger with United.
Instead, American Airlines is reportedly exploring ways to create synergies with Alaska Air Group, focusing on cooperation rather than a full merger.
Kirby acknowledged that previous airline mergers in the U.S. have typically aimed at consolidation and cost reduction, while his proposal was oriented towards expansion and enhanced global competitiveness. He stated that, "While American's public comments make it clear that a merger like this is off the table for the foreseeable future, I do think it's worth taking the time to describe in some more detail what this could have looked like."
With American declining to engage, Kirby said the talks have ended. He concluded that United will continue to pursue its strategy independently, emphasizing the company's focus on innovation and customer experience.
