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Kirby had floated the idea to the Trump administration earlier this year, according to a person familiar with the matter, in hopes that that the combination would mean a big global airline to compete with foreign rivals.<\/p>\n
American declined to comment on Kirby’s Monday statement.<\/p>\n
“I was hoping to pitch that story to American, but they declined to engage and instead responded by publicly closing the door,” Kirby said in his statement on Monday. “And without a willing partner, something this big simply can’t get done.”<\/p>\n
He said that “American’s public comments make it clear that a merger like this is off the table for the foreseeable future” but outlined his vision for a combined airline.<\/p>\n
Kirby reiterated that the country has deficit with foreign airlines that fly more than half of the long-haul seats into the U.S., with most of the customers being Americans. <\/p>\n
“The combined scale of United and American would be a better way to compete with foreign carriers,” he said.<\/p>\n
President\u00a0Donald Trump<\/a>\u00a0said he was against the idea of a combination last week.<\/p>\n“I don’t like having them merge,” he told CNBC’s “Squawk Box<\/a>” on Tuesday morning. He said he would, however, like someone to buy\u00a0struggling discount carrier Spirit<\/a>\u00a0but he also suggested that the federal government could “help that one out.”<\/p>\nSpirit and the Trump administration are in advanced talks for a rescue package<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n