United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby responded on Wednesday to rumors about a potential merger with American Airlines, stating that the goal is to create a truly globally competitive American airline capable of confronting competitive pressures from foreign carriers in the international market.

In an interview, Kirby pointed out that U.S. airlines face significant challenges in the international long-haul market—approximately two-thirds of long-haul flight seats to and from the United States are provided by foreign airlines, yet 60% of the passengers on those flights are U.S. citizens. He argued that by integrating resources and expanding scale, United Airlines could offer American travelers more competitive international flight options.

“We want to build an American airline that is genuinely competitive on a global scale,” Kirby stated during the interview. He had previously noted in internal meetings that scale advantages would help enhance the competitiveness of U.S. international outbound routes, making travelers more inclined to choose an American carrier over foreign competitors like Emirates when flying to regions such as the Middle East.

Kirby first introduced this merger concept during a meeting with President Trump on February 25. At that time, he presented the case to government officials that a merged airline would become a stronger competitor in the international market, aligning with the Trump administration’s focus on addressing the U.S. trade deficit.

However, the proposal has encountered multiple obstacles. American Airlines has clearly stated that it is “not involved and not interested,” emphasizing that a merger “would be detrimental to competition and consumers.” President Trump also publicly expressed his dislike for the merger plan on Tuesday, voicing concerns about its potential impact on market competition and airfare levels. Analysts note that if the two airlines were to merge, they would control approximately 40% of the domestic U.S. market capacity, facing rigorous antitrust scrutiny.