Get ready to bend over if you are going to fly

[Squirrel]

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Justice-Dept-signs-off-on-apf-980675940.html?x=0&sec=topStories&pos=3&asset=&ccode=

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- United and Continental airlines moved a big step closer to their proposed combination on Friday, with the Justice Department saying it has no more antitrust concerns about the deal.

On Friday, the two airlines said they would lease takeoff and landing slots in Newark to Southwest Airlines. The Justice Department says that clears up its main competitive concern.

With this United and Continental getting approval this will make them the 3rd biggest airline. Delta just merged with Northwest.

So we will have the following airlines.

Delta

American

United

Southwest

US Airways

Jet Blue

Alaska

Hawaiian

Virgin America

Plus some smaller ones that cant make a dent.

Prices will start rising very shortly.

[EMSMedic79]

Road trips are better anyway.... I guess.

[TheSaint]

there is a great docu that i saw on CNBC/MSNBC i think, on American Airlines. Really interesting. They run on really tight margins for sure. Fuel being the key.

[Squirrel]

there is a great docu that i saw on CNBC/MSNBC i think, on American Airlines. Really interesting. They run on really tight margins for sure. Fuel being the key.

They have too. They are the next one on the chopping block. I give them 2 years. United had to merge with Continental or they would be going out. Once a airline gets so big they cant afford to pay all the salaries that are necessary to operate plus retirement.

[Squirrel]

Another merger. Southwest is buying AirTran. This is big because it will give Southwest a big presence in Atlanta. But it will still hurt the consumer because it is one less low cost airliner.

Delta wont like this. Next on the two will most likely be US Airways and Alaska Airlines.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Southwest-Airlines-to-Acquire-prnews-3710486497.html?x=0&.v=1

DALLAS, Sept. 27 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Southwest Airlines (NYSE:LUV - News) announced today that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire all of the outstanding common stock of AirTran Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:AAI - News), the parent company of AirTran Airways (AirTran), for a combination of cash and Southwest Airlines' common stock.

At Southwest Airlines' closing stock price of $12.28 on September 24, 2010, the transaction values AirTran common stock at $7.69 per share, or approximately $1.4 billion in the aggregate, including AirTran's outstanding convertible notes. This represents a premium of 69 percent over the September 24, 2010 closing price of AirTran stock. Under the agreement, each share of AirTran common stock will be exchanged for $3.75 in cash and 0.321 shares of Southwest Airlines' common stock, subject to certain adjustments, based on Southwest Airlines' share price prior to closing. Including the existing AirTran net indebtedness and capitalized aircraft operating leases, the transaction value is approximately $3.4 billion.

[hepcat]

I thought United and US Airways were kind of the same?

[Squirrel]

I thought United and US Airways were kind of the same?

Far from it. United is huge in comparison. US Airways is like a super regional with a small International presence. United is mostly International with smaller airlines feeding domestic.

[Hawk]

getting a little tired of getting bent over by the airlines myself!

prices keep going up, paying for luggage, less and less service on board....you pay way more so that you can get way less. Longer line ups, security checks, it's all getting to be such a pain in the ass to fly. Would sure be nice to adopt some of the Europeans transportation....you know...high speed trains, autobahns....etc

[Davidson Deac II]

For the routes I usually fly, prices haven't really gone up that much. My wife flies to Los Angeles about once a year to see her sister, and the price is about what it was 3-4 years ago.

The baggage thing sucks, but with so many airlines struggling, I am not surprised they did it.