Following the announcement of an $8.5-billion takeover bid of Delta Airlines by US Airways, Delta's pilot union is denouncing the proposed merger, citing contract conflicts. Delta Chief Executive Officer Gerald Grinstein on Wednesday also said he is firmly against the idea, believing it would be difficult for a combined company to overcome internal and regulatory hurdles, the Washington Post reported Wednesday. Meanwhile, US Airways CEO Doug Parker said the carrier would give up the deal if Delta management couldn't be persuaded. If such were the case, Delta and US Airways' low-cost competition wouldn't get their wish of picking up any leftover routes and shuttle services from the proposed merger. AirTran, JetBlue and Southwest all have expressed interested in doing so.
