americanUS Airways has brought in Delta vet Christine Kelly Singley in a top post as US Air combines its PR operations with merger partner American Airlines.

Singley, general manager of corporate comms. at Delta, takes a managing director, corporate comms., title at Tempe-based US Airways, which last month promoted Elise Eberwein to an executive VP role overseeing communications.

The airline said Singley will play a key role in combining the two companies' communications departments under the American Airlines name and US Airways CEO Doug Parker.

Earlier this month, US Airways promoted John McDonald to VP of corporate communications and public affairs at the new American. Current American VP of communications Andy Backover, a former journalist who has been with the company for seven years, is leaving.

Singley joined Delta in 2004 and worked crisis planning, messaging, media relations and social media, among other areas. She did a stint in politics as director of comms. for the Missouri Dept. of Higher Education and deputy comms. director to Missouri Gov. Bob Holden.

American and US Airways announced their $11B merger in January 2012.