Pilots’ Union Could Scuttle the Merger Talks Between United and US Airways

(NewsVisual, powered by IntellectSpace) -- Although other major airlines have merged despite opposition by the pilots’ unions, the deal between United Airlines Inc, which is owned by UAL Corp (NASDAQ:UAUA), and US Airways Group Inc (NYSE:LCC) could be killed in its crib because of union opposition.

"A 'toxic stew' of problems with pilots and other issues at US Airways would imperil any merger between that carrier and United Airlines, the leader of the United pilots’ union said on Tuesday," The New York Times reported in an article.

Yet despite the opposition of the pilots’ union with regard to the Northwest and Delta merger, the deal recently went through anyway, and the key could have been the strong personal ties between the two airlines’ board rooms.

In a similar fashion, the personal relationships between the Directors at United and US Airways could also help to overcome the objections of labor groups in this case, too.

NewsVisual created an IntellectSpace Knowledge Map that of United and US Airways that shows the following personal connections among their leadership teams:

UAL Corp CEO/President/Chairman Glenn F Tilton is linked to US Airways Director Herbert M Baum through their board service to the American Petroleum Institute.  And a less noteworthy connection exists between Mr Baum and the former UAL Corp Director Paul E Tierney via the Council on Foreign Relations.

The Knowledge Map also illustrates that several of the two companies’ Directors are also connected through universities, including Stanford University, the University of Notre Dame, and Yale Law School.

To view the details of those connections, click here for an interactive and fuller version of this IntellectSpace Knowledge Map.

(Note: the information contained and presented in Knowledge Maps is public information from the Securities and Exchange Commission of the United States of America).