United Airlines Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:UAL) CEO Scott Kirby indicated that the airline is open to acquiring airport slots, gates, and other strategic assets from struggling rivals. However, he

In a conversation with Reuters on Sunday, on the sidelines of the International Air Transport ​Association’s (IATA) annual meeting in Rio de Janeiro, Kirby dismissed the likelihood of a major consolidation deal following the rejection of a merger proposal from United by American Airlines Group Inc. (NASDAQ:AAL)earlier this year, a topic Kirby had also broached with President Donald Trump.

Kirby defended the proposed merger, arguing it would have been advantageous for consumers. However, he conceded that such a large and unconventional transaction would necessitate the backing of American’s management, which was not forthcoming.

Asked whether a Chapter 11 filing would make JetBlue Airways Corp. (NASDAQ:JBLU) a more attractive acquisition target, Kirby said such a scenario was unlikely given the carrier’s cash reserves and unencumbered ...