United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby floated a potential merger of the two carriers to President Trump in February, according to sources.

Airline stocks rallied on Friday after oil prices eased following Iran’s announcement that the Strait of Hormuz would remain open. Earlier this week, Iran’s foreign minister said the Strait of Hormuz is “completely open” to commercial vessels,

Airlines have raised airfare, fuel surcharges and baggage fees this year to help cover a surge in fuel costs since the Iran war started on Feb. 28.

A long-shot megamerger between United and American airlines could reshape O’Hare and make flying more expensive and unpleasant for Chicagoans, aviation and antitrust experts told the Tribune.

United’s rollout of free Starlink Wi-Fi is only beginning to expand beyond regional jets, leaving most passengers without a useful perk in the meantime.

United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby floated the idea of acquiring American Airlines with senior Trump administration officials, according to reports.

By Rajesh Kumar Singh CHICAGO, April 16 (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration on Thursday capped summer flights at Chicago O'Hare, stepping into an escalating battle between United Airlines and American Airlines after a surge in schedules threatened to overwhelm the airport.

The merger would "erode the remaining impact of airline deregulation from almost 50 years ago," an expert told Newsweek.