Speaking of institutional investors, the Merrill Lynch Transportation Conference wrapped up yesterday in New York. Yes, that is why you have seen so many news stories containing various comments by airline CEOs and CFOs in the press the last two days.
The event began Tuesday and Doug Steenland, CEO of Northwest spoke that night at the dinner event.
Tuesday, I was asked by one of the hedge fund folks who I was meeting with what would be the one question I would ask of Steenland at that evening’s dinner. (He was going.) I said that I would like him to explain just how the airline hopes to integrate its new internal regional operation with its external regional operators — and what the grand scheme is for growth going forward — as I am still a bit confused as to how the airline is going to use the various elements together that they now have in place.
Looking over comments that have been made by a number of other airline execs who were at the conference (and that included just about everyone) it appears that there have been no real surprises — but Gary Kelly, CEO of Southwest did talk more about the fact the airline may have to slow down its growth — and JetBlue’s CEO Dave Barger said the airline is looking again at its current business model and it could make some additional changes going forward as well.
I’m still pouring over the webcasts — but again — I haven’t heard anything that has been particularly earth-shaking yet.
And no, United CFO Jake Brace saying that United is still looking for a merger partner is far from news. I had to laugh when he prefaced his comments by saying that “contrary to some reports” the airline was still very interested in a potential merger. Like who is saying they are NOT interested? Pahleez. Oh and did you like the way he attempted to narrow down the potential prospects as he said this week at the conference in regard to a potential merger partner, “Our focus is on the Northeast, a southern-tier hub and helping us in Latin America.”
Okay Delta. Get out that checkbook and start that merger deal cookin’.
In Jake and Glenn Tilton’s dreams maybe.