American Airlines -- US Airways merger: good for air travelers?
The long-rumored merger between American Airlines and US Airways
appeared to move a step closer early this month when Tom Horton,
American's chief executive, announced that the two carriers were
in "discussions" and that a decision would be made "within a
matter of weeks."  A combination of American, which is expected
to emerge from bankruptcy protection early this year, and US
Airways would create the nation's largest airline as measured by
number of employees, and the second-largest in terms of
operating revenue. It would also complete a cycle of industry
consolidation that has defined the past decade in commercial
aviation, with Delta Air Lines merging with Northwest Airlines,
Continental Airlines joining United, and the latest corporate
coupling between Southwest Airlines and AirTran, among several
others.  Neither American nor US Airways would comment for this
column, citing nondisclosure agreements relating to a possible
merger that each h