“We simply cannot approve a merger that would result in U.S. consumers paying higher fares, higher fees and receiving less service,” said Justice Department Antitrust Division chief William Baer, speaking during a conference call with reporters. “By challenging this merger, the Department of Justice is saying that the American people deserve better.”
When the merger was first announced in February, many anticipated it would be approved, largely because the DOJ had already signed off on combinations involving Delta and Northwest in 2008 and United and Continental in 2010. As Representative Spencer Bachus (R-Ala.) put it during a February 26 hearing: “They created other airlines with significant advantages. If we don’t let these guys merge,” they’ll be at a disadvantage.
