After United’s dalliance with Phoenix’s US Airways over the past few months, the Chicago airline suddenly dropped US Airways and proposed to Continental, in a deal that could create the country’s largest airline.

Continental capo Jeff Smisek made this comment at a news conference:

“I didn’t want (United CEO Glenn Tilton) to marry the ugly girl. I wanted him to marry the pretty one.”

PBJ story—with a press release from a stung US Airways CEO Doug Parker—here.