[RetiredLawyer]

Trial in the case is set for November 25, before Judge Kollar-Kotelly in U.S. District Court in Washington. About a 2 week trial is expected by the parties, and the judge is expected to rule before December 13. December 13 is the last day for the parties to abandon the merger without payment of a breakup penalty.

As a retired competition lawyer (40 years), my view is that the Department of Justice got it right in challenging the merger.

[greyhawkgeoff]

the merger of AA + US Airways appears to have been cleared today –

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/amr-corporation-and-us-airways-announce-settlement-with-us-department-of-justice-and-state-attorneys-general-231589811.html

in brief by giving up slots at Reagan (edit)and La Guardia plus a handful of gates at various hubs that can be overcome by better scheduling and would probably on balance be surplus, post merger.

Let the merger get going asap, certainly US are keen.

[IanFromHKG]

Fantastic news – I can’t wait for this to happen and for US Airways to join oneworld, it will certainly make transits in the US a lot easier for me (not to mention getting lounge access where US have them and AA don’t). I wonder how long that will take…

[cbroo79]

Great news! Something is working after all in US politics!

[IanFromHKG]

US airways has announced it will leave Star Alliance on 1 March 2014 and will join oneworld a month later – as a oneworld FF, I think this is great news…

[WillieWelsh]

I wonder how long it will take the re-vamped AA to jump in to bed with EK and QF and create their own new venture.

The naysayers (mostly the BA apologists) will say this will never happen but then they also said it about the JSA between QF and BA.

[cbroo79]

Frankly, I would not be surprised as BA is loosing its competitive edge (again).

[Str8Talking]

Nothing should come as a surprise in the airline industry. However, I don’t see EK remaining friends with QF for too long. QF have a lot more to gain/lose from that partnership. EK and AA on the other hand, have a lot more to give to and take from each other. That said, I also think there’s a lot to be said about the savings AA/BA (and the other JSA partners) make on their transatlantic ventures that I think cannot be as easily realised through a relationship with EK as that would be on a very different structure. Delta’s recent push to do the same with Virgin shows that this is obviously quite important.

[greyhawkgeoff]

merger looks likely to be effected by opening of business on Monday December 9
PRNewswire/ — Today, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York approved the settlement of the lawsuit reached with the U.S. Department of Justice and certain states relating to the merger of AMR Corporation and US Airways Group, Inc. The court also ruled that the merger may be consummated despite the pendency of a private antitrust lawsuit. As a result of the Court’s rulings, AMR Corporation, the parent company of American Airlines, Inc., today filed with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York a notice that the proposed effective date of the Plan of Reorganization will be Dec. 9, 2013.

[IanFromHKG]

It isn’t clear whether this will extent to other oneworld elites, but at least for elites in AA’s or US’s own programmes there will be some early benefits predating US’s entry into oneworld. From a statement by the airlines:

“Customers will begin to see enhancements to their experience in early January, including the ability to earn and redeem miles when traveling on either American Airlines or US Airways, reciprocal American Admirals Club and US Airways Club benefits, and reciprocal elite recognition. The combined airline expects to share more details around these key customer benefits early next year.”

The full staement is here: http://newamericanarriving.com/news-and-updates/amr-corporation-and-us-airways-group-come-together-to-build-the-new-america

[cbroo79]

And here is the UA reaction to the announcement, received in an email yesterday:

You can earn and use miles
with US Airways until March 30, 2014

Because you have recently purchased a ticket on US Airways®, or have flown them in the past, we wanted to give you an update on our partnership with them. US Airways has announced that they have legally combined with American Airlines® and that they plan to join oneworld® on March 31, 2014, which means they will leave the Star AllianceTM network.

Our partnership with US Airways will end on March 30, 2014. What this means for you:
•

All current tickets for travel on US Airways will be honored.
•

You can continue to book award travel on US Airways using MileagePlus® miles through March 30, 2014, for travel anytime within the published schedule, even beyond March 30, 2014.
•

You can earn MileagePlus award miles on US Airways flights through March 30, 2014. For as long as you earn award miles you will also earn Premier® qualifying miles and Premier qualifying segments. And, on eligible US Airways flights between January 1 and March 30, 2014, you can earn Premier qualifying dollars.*
•

Star Alliance status benefits on US Airways will apply through March 30, 2014.
•

If you have a United ClubSM membership, or if you are traveling on a United international premium cabin ticket, you can access the US Airways Club through March 30, 2014.

You can visit united.com to learn more about earning and using miles on US Airways, and learn about our other Star Alliance and partner airlines.

[Bath_VIP]

I am looking at flights to the US in March and some of best offers are by American airlines via Philadelphia. This is actually on US Airways metal but the flight number is AA. Does anyone know if you can earn Avios yet on these flights?

[greyhawkgeoff]

Bath VIP not quite on the subject but announced today from AA HQ at Fort Worth wef today Feb 5 virtually all AA + US Airways flights will be available on codeshare for booking for flights from Feb 6.

It can only be a matter of time before the ex US Airways flights show thru on the BA and Avios systems, the ability of Ba to laod thes is the unknown.

[cbroo79]

GKing92 – you are right, I have been in the BA website yesterday and was not able to see the AA/US codeshare as of yet.

[Author]

Posts