Will Alaska Airlines become the next target of merger? Or will it join an alliance?

[CathayPacific]

With AWA merging with US, all US majors except Alaska Airlines are now in one of the three airline alliances. Since UA and US (of Star) and DL (of SkyTeam) have heavy presence on west coast, oneworld seems to be a natural fit for AS. Would AS consider entering it?

Or even more, AS is becoming an attractive merger target of AA. If AS does merge with AA, the consolidation of US majors will be complete. Will this happen?

[screaming_emu]

I doubt it. I dont think they'll go into a merger, the only thing that would happen is if they were straight up bought out. A merger wouldn't make much sense for them as they serve some pretty unique routes where there isn't a whole lot of competition.

[ASpilot2be]

I agree with Joe. A merger is not gonna happen. Joining an alliance they might do. But currently they have the best mileage plan system, and have lots of codeshare partners. Currently they seem to be in a good spot at the time being.

[DAL767-400ER]

Codeshare whores don't join an alliance or merge .

[ATrude777]

1. Alaska Already is in an Alliance with AA, therefore all AA flight and Alaska Flights can be earned on each other, and Alaska Miles I was told could be used torwards One World Alliance flights, but That could be a mis-information.
2.Southwest (a major) is not in one of the three alliances you mentioned.
Alex

[Stephen Toernblom]

With AWA merging with US, all US majors except Alaska Airlines are now in one of the three airline alliances.

Not true. I don't see Southwest or JetBlue in an alliance and they are both major carriers.

[CathayPacific]

Not true. I don't see Southwest or JetBlue in an alliance and they are both major carriers.

Sorry for not being specific, I am only referring to NON-LCC majors (i.e. legacy majors). So SWA and JetBlue are not among them.

It doesn't make sense for the LCCs to join an alliance any way.

[chrisburns]

1. Alaska Already is in an Alliance with AA, therefore all AA flight and Alaska Flights can be earned on each other, and Alaska Miles I was told could be used torwards One World Alliance flights, but That could be a mis-information.

Alaska still has a larger agreement with NW, and then has more agreements with CO, DL

[ATrude777]

Not true. I don't see Southwest or JetBlue in an alliance and they are both major carriers.

Southwest is in an Alliance with ATA.

Alex

[matt1168]

Southwest is in an Alliance with ATA.

Alex

Yeah, and have you looked at ATA's routemap lately? Southwest serves more destinations than ATA does on their own routemap. Pathetic.

[AA 1818]

Codeshare whores don't join an alliance or merge .

I would have said it more elloquently, but I agree.

Alaska Airlines has extensive codeshares with so many airlines that it can function outside of any major Alliances without any problems. I think that joining one could possibly hurt their codeshare sittutation, if they join OneWorld they alienate their NW codeshares, if they join SkyTeam then AA's codeshare seems threathned.

Anyway, if they had to join one then OneWorld seems the better bet.

As for a merger, not going to happen!

[ASpilot2be]

I would have said it more elloquently, but I agree.

Alaska Airlines has extensive codeshares with so many airlines that it can function outside of any major Alliances without any problems. I think that joining one could possibly hurt their codeshare sittutation, if they join OneWorld they alienate their NW codeshares, if they join SkyTeam then AA's codeshare seems threathned.

Anyway, if they had to join one then OneWorld seems the better bet.

As for a merger, not going to happen!

Well said