Robert Hatch, president and CEO of Wells Fargo Utah, is worried such a union would put Salt Lake City's status as a key Delta hub at risk.

"Whenever you put two companies together, you have to look at getting costs in line," he said. "Everything is at risk."

Hatch's concern stems from the fact that while Delta has a major hub is in Salt Lake City, US Airways has a hub in Phoenix. He believes the cities are close enough that there would be some duplication and need for cuts at one or both if the two companies join.

He believes US Airways may be partial to Phoenix, a stone's throw away from its headquarters in suburban Tempe.

US Airways is reassuring Utahns Salt Lake City will remain a hub if its hostile takeover of Delta is completed, and any cuts would be minimal. Some experts, though, say that might not be possible.

Lane Beattie, president of the Salt Lake Chamber, believes Salt Lake City won't be devastated if the two companies combine. He believes that Salt Lake City's geographic location as a "crossroads of the west" with easy access to a number of cities gives it an advantage in luring other airline routes.

That said, he doesn't favor a merger. He thinks Delta will emerge from bankruptcy on its own and be well equipped to compete and succeed as an independent airline.

"I don't see any strength coming from that partnership," he said.

Overall, passengers at Salt Lake City International Airport on Wednesday expressed little concern about the prospect of a US Airways takeover of Delta. They primarily wondered about what might happen to their frequent-flyer miles and whether the combination would effect the level of service.

"As long as they can continue to get me where I want to go in one piece, it probably isn't going to matter much," said Mike Shelton of Anchorage, Alaska, who stopped off in Salt Lake City on his way to a funeral in Colorado.

Dean Einspahr of Ogden, whose job at the U.S. Treasury Department has him flying two to three times a month, isn't worried either.

"There still will be plenty of competition out there, and I can't imagine not being able to get where I need to go," he said. "And it certainly won't matter whose name happens to be on the ticket."

Still, US Airways' hostile offer would create a mega-carrier that some passengers fear might eventually gain the economic power to affect ticket prices.

"You always have to worry about what a merger of that size might do," said Frances Shepherd of Salisbury, N.C., who was in Utah to attend the Xango convention at the Salt Palace. "If the company ends up getting too much economic power they might be able to raise prices, and could cause a lot of economic pain for a lot of people."

Shepherd's traveling companion, Phyllis Cain, said given that Delta has been operating under Chapter 11 bankruptcy, it might not have the wherewithall to fend off US Airways' unwanted advances.

"Delta may be in the same boat right now that most of the rest of us are in," Cain said. "If you don't have much money, you don't have much say."

A lot of passengers, though, said they always price shop before buying their airline tickets and are confident that if Delta raises it prices there will be other bargains out there to be grabbed.

"I fly Delta a lot and like flying with them," said Jill Davies, a Canadian who teaches skiing in Aspen, Colo., during the winter months. "But if their flights aren't the cheapest or most convenient, I'll fly with someone else.

"You just have to keep in mind that airlines are like politicians. They're all a little evil and all a little good."

steve@sltrib.com

lesley@sltrib.com