The US Justice Department has reached an agreement that will see American Airlines and US Airways merge in December.
The agreement follows a move by the government in August to block the merger to avoid restricting competition or to see a hike in airfares on routes around the US. The airlines have agreed to reduce the size of the merger at some of the bigger cities, including at Washington Reagan National Airport (DCA).
Tom Horton, chairman, president and ceo of AMR, and incoming chairman of the board of the combined company, says: "This agreement allows us to take the final steps in creating the new American Airlines. With a renewed spirit, we are about to create the world's leading airline that will offer, along with our oneworld partners, a comprehensive global network and service by the best people in the business.”
After completion of the required divestitures, the combined company expects to operate 44 fewer daily departures at DCA and 12 fewer daily departures at New York LaGuardia Airport (LGA), compared with the approximately 290 daily DCA departures and 175 daily LGA departures that American and US Airways operate today.
