Continental Airlines, concerned about being dwarfed by larger competitors, would consider a merger if necessary to maintain its competitiveness, its chief executive said.
"If the landscape of the U.S. airline industry does indeed change, we'll do what we need to do to act in the best interests of you (employees), our customers, our shareholders and the communities we serve," Chief Executive Larry Kellner said in a recorded message to employees on Friday.
But unlike UAL, which has long been a proponent of consolidation, Continental would be a reluctant participant, concerned about the implications of staying on the sidelines.
"The creation of a competitor even larger than American Airlines would not be good for us in the long run," Kellner said. "Our preference is to remain independent and continue our growth plan."
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"If the landscape of the U.S. airline industry does indeed change, we'll do what we need to do to act in the best interests of you (employees), our customers, our shareholders and the communities we serve," Chief Executive Larry Kellner said in a recorded message to employees on Friday.
But unlike UAL, which has long been a proponent of consolidation, Continental would be a reluctant participant, concerned about the implications of staying on the sidelines.
"The creation of a competitor even larger than American Airlines would not be good for us in the long run," Kellner said. "Our preference is to remain independent and continue our growth plan."
story here