United, Continental moving closer to merger deal
United Airlines and Continental Airlines are getting closer to a merger agreement and would like to wrap up a deal by the end of next week, people with direct knowledge of the discussions said yesterday.
The negotiations, which have been underway for months, accelerated after Delta Air Lines and Northwest Airlines disclosed a $3 billion deal on April 14 that would create the nation's biggest air carrier.
The talks between United and Continental are in an advanced stage but are not yet complete, the people who had been briefed on them said. They requested anonymity because the talks were private.
The two airlines would like to be finished by Thursday, these people added, although the negotiations could easily run into delays.
As with Delta and Northwest, United and Continental would like to win regulatory approval before President Bush leaves office rather than risk delays that could take place under a new president.
Continental is getting ready to provide details of any possible deal, at least if its website is any indication.
The airline, based in Houston, has posted a link on its home page to a new part of its site that looks as if it can be transformed into a merger information page, as soon as a deal occurs.
A spokesman declined to comment further. A United spokeswoman said the company did not comment on "rumors or speculation."
The link, co-industry consolidation.com, is next to a line, "Latest News and Offers."
Continental's consolidation page features only a few links - one to news releases, another to a "Frequently Asked Questions" page that talks about what the Delta-Northwest merger might mean to Continental, and a third guiding visitors to webcasts.
