The chief executive of American Airlines' parent said yesterday that his company is just a "matter of weeks" away from concluding its evaluation of the potential benefits, costs and risks of a proposed merger with US Airways Group Inc. as a way out of bankruptcy court, the Wall Street Journal reported today. In a memo to employees, AMR Corp. Chairman and CEO Tom Horton cited a proposed memorandum of understanding that the union representing American Airlines' pilots reached this weekend, which would govern the way they would be integrated with US Airways' pilots should a merger occur. Horton said that discussions with the US Airways pilots and with other unions at both companies also are in progress. AMR will review the proposed memorandum of understanding with its pilots union and other factors to make "an informed decision about whether a merger should be pursued," Horton said.
