United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby Says UAL Is Ready To Scoop Up Assets From Struggling Rivals

United Airlines Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: UAL ) CEO Scott Kirby indicated that the airline is open to acquiring airport slots, gates, and other strategic assets from struggling rivals. However, he In a conversation with Reuters on Sunday, on the sidelines of the International Air Transport ​Association’s (IATA) annual meeting in Rio de Janeiro, Kirby dismissed the likelihood of a major consolidation deal following the rejection of a merger proposal from United by American Airlines Group Inc. (NASDAQ: AAL ) earlier this year, a topic Kirby had also broached with President Donald Trump . Kirby defended the proposed merger, arguing it would have been advantageous for consumers. However, he conceded that such a large and unconventional transaction would necessitate the backing of American’s management, which was not forthcoming. Asked whether a Chapter 11 filing would make JetBlue Airways Corp. (NASDAQ: JBLU ) a more attractive acquisition target, Kirby said such a scenario was unlikely given the carrier’s cash reserves and unencumbered ... Full story available on Benzinga.com