Without question, a merger of US Airways and United Airlines would give Charlotte travelers access to a larger airline that reaches almost every corner of the U.S. and across the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
But would bigger be better when it comes to your experience? Based on how the airlines have done with key measuring sticks, the forecast isn't pretty.
From traveler surveys to independent ratings to government statistics, the two airlines often trail competitors, ranking at or near the bottom in such areas as on-time performance and customer complaints.
"These are two companies that have struggled at times with consumer performance," said David Stempler, president of the Air Travelers Association, a passenger advocacy group. " ... We're curious about how they're going to pull this off."
US Airways and United haven't confirmed that they're in merger talks, but sources have said the carriers are negotiating a deal. Many analysts expect the airlines to link up after Continental Airlines -- seen as United's preferred partner -- decided last month to stay separate.
Executives at both airlines have publicly supported consolidation, saying it puts carriers in better financial shape by reducing flights and competition. That, in turn, could lead to better, more consistent performance and customer service.
But combining companies that each have tens of thousands of employees and different cultures is tough. Add the fact that airlines serve millions of customers each month, and the potential for pitfalls is high.
High enough that Kevin Mitchell says big airlines shouldn't get together. The founder and chairman of the Business Travel Coalition testified before Congress against a proposed United-US Airways merger in 2000, and again recently against a planned Delta-Northwest union.
In the 1986 union of Northwest Airlines and Republic Airlines, Mitchell said, a joint pilot contract took four years to work out, while getting customer service back to premerger levels took eight.
Passengers also suffered in March 2007 when US Airways -- in its merger with America West Airlines -- had computer problems while merging reservations systems, causing long lines and delays at East Coast airports.
"None of these big mergers work," Mitchell said. "I think travelers can expect many, many years of frustration and problems."
As it is, neither US Airways nor United wins universal praise from travelers.
In the 2007 Airline Quality Rating -- based on 15 performance criteria -- US Airways ranked 11th of 16 airlines, down from No. 1 in 2002. United ranked eighth, down from fourth in 2004.
Late last year, a Zagat survey of nearly 7,500 frequent fliers revealed dissatisfaction with US Airways and United. Both got low marks for food and didn't rate much better for service and comfort.
While US Airways is OK for short flights, respondents said, the airline can be "as unhelpful as the DMV," and its "schedule should be published under `fiction.' "
Respondents praised United's transcontinental service and Economy Plus legroom. But other economy seats "can feel more cramped than a clown car," and the airline is challenged by "sour" staff, delays and lost bags.
The two airlines generated the most consumer complaints per passenger last year, according to federal transportation officials. Throw in unhappy labor groups at each carrier -- including two pilot groups that haven't meshed in the 2005 US Airways-America West merger -- and passenger advocates are wary of how United-US Airways would work.
"That (labor) tension can always work its way into the daily operations of an airline," Stempler said. "If it does, you can quickly and easily have big problems."
What can travelers do? Not much, Stempler said, especially in a hub such as Charlotte that is dominated by one airline. "You just have to get there early and hope for the best," he said, "but prepare for the worst."
Better yet, Mitchel said, hope that the merger doesn't go through.
After record delays last summer tested passengers' patience, he said, many people might think it can't get worse. But the chances of travel plans being disrupted could increase as a result of the decreased competition that usually comes with airline mergers, he said.
"The best advice," Mitchell said, "is probably to pray that these things don't happen."
