Concessions on routes likely Washington, Charlotte, Dallas

[FWAAA]

Back in 2000/2001 when the UA-US merger was conceived, wasn't there some sort of a 'deal' where in order to not surrender too many DCA slots, the new UA-US would share the Shuttle with AA? (or some other crazy scheme where the BET guy would get a start up but still be somehow related to UA-US?)

Yes, Johnson of BET would have owned 51% of DC Air (AA would own the other 49%) and UA-US would sell DC Air the US Air DCA slots. DC Air would buy the F100s from US and AA. And you're right, the US Air shuttle would have been operated as a joint venture, with every other flight flown by AA.

What I'm trying to ask, I guess, is there a way where if the AA-US merger goes through now, is there some sort of a way AA-US could to a certain degree choose who they want to divest the DCA slots to? Hopefully to a competitor that would be acceptable to both the Gov and AA-US?

Interesting - I wonder if they've been thinking along these lines. I'll admit that I wasn't sure in 2001 if the government would go along with the DC Air plan.