The leaders of three of the largest airlines in the United States say they see a future of consolidation and change in the industry that may result in fewer large-network and low-fare carriers.

"There will be fewer of the legacy, or network carriers. What is harder to fathom or figure out are which ones are going to make it," said Gerard Arpey, chief executive of American Airlines' parent company AMR Corp.

Over the long term, passengers were likely to see the removal of some familiar names from the market, Arpey said in a panel discussion with Gordon Bethune, chief executive of Continental Airlines and Jim Parker, chief executive of Southwest Airlines.

Arpey and Bethune agreed with the notion that there may only be two or three each of the large-network carriers and low-fare carriers in the long term.

Despite the success of some low-fare carriers, Bethune said that consolidation would come to that end of the market as well.

"It is foolish to believe that all are going to fly," he said.

Their comments come as almost all of the major airlines are struggling to recover from the massive economic hit they took after the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States, when air travel demand plummeted.

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