U.S. seeks more detail from American/BA on tie-up

[FWAAA]

Before you get antitrust immunity, you've got to satisfy the antitrust regulators:

The U.S. government has asked American Airlines, British Airways Plc and Spain's Iberia to supply new information about the potential impact of their proposed alliance on competition.

In an order on Friday, the Transportation Department sought more information on the airlines' plans for a limited tie-up, especially as it concerns business at London's Heathrow airport, where British Airways is a powerhouse and American is strong. The government is also looking for more details about their plans for Pacific and Latin American markets.

http://biz.yahoo.com/rb/081220/business_us...iance.html?.v=1

I see AA/BA being forced to give up hundreds of slots once again. Third time may not be the charm.

 

[Barfbag]

This deal is DOA.

If they didn't get it done under eight years of Bush, it won't fly with Obama.

Protectionism is in high gear. begining next year.

 

[The Goose]

BushCo and minions still have a little less than a month to finish repaying the campaign contributions. I wouldn't write anything off just yet.

They can do quite a bit of damage to the country until they're gone.

 

[Hopeful]

Like giving $17 billion to the automakers?

 

[frontline]

This is total BS and makes me really mad!! :angry:

UA/LH have immunity. DL/NW/AF/KL have immunity. So basically AA has been on the sh*t end of a slanted playing field for years. DOT's job is to make sure that competition is fair. How is it fair for AA to be denied the same advantages its main competitors enjoy?

Total political BS! The pilots must be blowing lots of dues money on lobbyists this year!

 

[CubsFanJohn]

I wouldn't say it's DOA yet, even though they have requested more info, does anyone know if they did this with the NW/DL/AF/KL deal or is this something new?

 

[FrugalFlyerv2.0]

This deal is DOA.

If they didn't get it done under eight years of Bush, it won't fly with Obama.

Protectionism is in high gear. begining next year.

I wouldn't be so confident that it is DOA ... yet. The incoming admin wants the whole world to like the USA. So if the Brits and Spaniards apply enough pressure the AA-BA-IB joint venture could be a done deal.

 

[Barfbag]

First of all, you forget it's never been a AA/BA/IB it's really a BA/AA ( crumbs for the Spaniards ) deal with the British pound, pounding the dollar US$, it's fair to say that the Brits will have greater sway than the Americans.

In the end a big pay for Arpre, not to mention thousands of US jobs in jeopardy.

I believe Obama&Clinton Inc. can smell the stench in this deal.

 

[MAH4546]

AA/BA/IB will be in place by the winter 2009/2010 schedule.

This is not a setback at all. DOT requested the same extra information from other airlines and their alliances.

This will be approved easily - regardless of who is President - but it will take time because other airlines obviously have objections - as they would. AA had objections to the other ATI's too.

ATI with BA is absolutely essential to AA's long-term competitive health, and the Obama camp knows that just as well as Bush.

with the British pound, pounding the dollar US$, it's fair to say that the Brits will have greater sway than the Americans.

Have you even bothered to check the British pound lately?

Maybe if you had, you'd realize the British pound has collapsed.

After reaching highs of over $2 in March 2008, and steadily being above $1.70 for about five years, the British pound is now worth only $1.46, near record lows for the past decade. It sucks for the airlines, because its forcing many Brits to cancel vacations to the U.S. that they can no longer afford due to the currency collapse.

 

[The Goose]

MAH, for years SOP was to calculate (.75 X $) = brit pounds. For many years, the pound stayed at that level and barely moved.

Doesn't this mean only that the dollar is deflating a bit and returning to its higher value of a few years ago instead of the inflated dollar of earlier this year (before the bankers figured out they weren't holding as much as they thought)?

... or, does it really mean the total loose change taken out of the system due to the bad holdings is a helluva lot more than anyone is willing to admit?

 

[The Goose]

Like giving $17 billion to the automakers?

Yeah - and authorizing $700 billion for the bankers.

 

[MCI transplant]

<_< ------- Oh! by the way, I hear the bankers are still flying their Corp. jets!!! :down: