AS merger rumor resurfaces as rationale behind AA CEO's recent actions

"Why Is American Airlines Suddenly Sucking Up To President Trump?" (Their words, not mine)

https://viewfromthewing.com/american-airlines-keeps-praising-trump-while-taking-a-7-billion-fuel-hit-what-do-they-want/

https://onemileatatime.com/news/american-airlines-sucking-up-president-trump/#whats_americans_ulterior_motive_with_trump_praise

tl;dr: There is renewed speculation that AA is working to enhance the likelihood of federal approval on an AA/AS merger of some sort.

Whether that would be feasible financially given AA's debt or whether that would be good for shareholders? I dunno.

But I have a lot fewer concerns about State Attorneys General pushback on potential route cuts as I think both AA and AS have already cut as many routes/frequencies as they would want as a merged operation.

I am not a fan of them merging, as AA seems to be the weakest of the big 3 and potentially would bring a lot of bad habits and abysmal labor relations to the combined entity.

But it seems inevitable.