According to experts in the travel industry, the recent American Airlines-US Airways merger many not benefit travelers.
Business travelers are worried about the changes the recent American Airlines-US Airways merger may bring about. And according to experts, change in the travel industry is not always a good thing, especially for business travelers who have grown accustomed to their regular connecting hubs, airline routes and frequent flier programs.
"What I can see is 900 pitfalls," said Joe Brancatelli, a business travel expert who writes a regular online column on the subject. "I don't see an upside."
The merger was a result of an $11-billion deal and was announced last week. The merger resulted in the making of the world's largest airline employing more than 100,000 workers and serving about 187 million passengers a year.
US Airways Chief Executive Doug Parker assured travelers that they would be keeping all the destinations and hubs of both the carriers. However, Brancatelli has his doubts.
"When an airline tells you they are keeping everything, that is a lie," he said.
While the two airlines have very few routes that overlap, they have many connecting hubs in the same region. This could lead to them eliminating a few hubs.
Nevertheless, executives from American Airlines and US Airways continue to emphasize that the merger would first and foremost benefit frequent business travelers because under the combined resources of the new carrier, they would be able to choose from 6,700 daily flights to 336 destinations in 56 countries.
Along with that travelers who have acquired frequent flier miles with either airline can carry them over and redeem them on the new, larger carrier, says the newly merged companies.
"There are only upsides," said Thomas Horton, chief executive for AMR Corp., the parent company of American Airlines.
