While American Airlines and US Airways Still Have to Convince the FTC That Their Proposed Merger Doesn’t Create a Monopoly, Do You Think It’s a Good Idea?

Was there this much outrage when Delta or United merged with other airlines? You people are a bunch of "goons". Delta happens to be the most expensive airline flying in the US.

I meant yes. Oops. There are still several airlines flying in America. Southwest for one. A monopoly is when there is zero competition. A oligarchy is when there are a lot of big guys duking it out. What we have here is an oligarchy.

While the commie media brainwashes it's viewers, the reality is that it is private enterprise and should be allowed to expand. People forget where jobs come from.

The government is a monopoly. We don't hear liberals crying about that.

well said.

They ain't said nutten about the OIL Monopoly because it makes them so much money.... As long as the government gets it's cut .... no problem

The feds need to keep their big noses out of it for once. Please, leave the economy alone for once!!

Lets be honest folks - the reason why America was set up was get us to a place in capitalism...where we will spend our own money to go on vacations. What is the harm?

Last I checked this 2 companies are not the only airlines around offering passenger service so the argument of a monopoly is absurd.

Don't give a damn after midwest airlines shut down. Business class for everyone and free cookies. Last time I checked, Alaska airlines didn't have that kind of comfort available.

When United merged with Continental, it was a sad day. United just plain or plane SUCKS!! If the results are the same on the American, US Air deal, flying will become almost as bad as riding buses cross country, just faster.

Then again flying hasn't been any fun since Ex President Reagan union busted Patco and Homeland Insecurity gets their rocks off stealing laptops. I'll drive thanks.

American sucks as an airline... lousy fares, poor service, and padded charges everywhere you look. Almost criminal.

This question will make more sense when if ever they merge with say Delta. The biggest problem with the major airlines is their business model. Mostly their antiquated over use of the hub system. This has created a niche that has been filled by better thought out models like JetBlue & Southwest.

I only fly Southwest. Best service ever

I like Southwest as well. I prefer JetBlue. The reality is that if you fly enough and because of airport gate lease's you may not always have those choices.

I recently flew to Dayton Ohio (Ugh). Those were not practical choices so it was American and the horrid Hub stuff. Dallas on the way and Chicago O'hare on the return. Very long travel days!

When Piedmont became US Air things went downhill. USAirways has been on the verge of disaster frequently...as has American, so the merger of the two seems to me like blending two losers into one huge loser!

They will merge and in a few months start downsizing , this will leave room for other airlines to take some gates that they cant get into now. There will be ticket price adjustment but fuel and labor prices are going up so tickets are going up anyway .

Starts a monopoly type situation.

Yes or no, airlines have been a defacto monopoly for many years, most offering fares within a few net dollars of each other and using common aircraft across most fleets.

If they can't run profitably maybe it's time to reexamine their business model.

Has nothing to do with creating a monopoly, it rather is a function of US Airways destroying yet another carrier much as they have done in the past with other ill fated mergers. Remember, this is the same airline that hit an open man hole in its maiden jet flight upon taxing for takeoff from Pittsburgh International..

I wouldn't care if it did; a business increasing its prosperity is a good thing.

Monopolies are good.
It is the natural course of a free market, and Free Market Capitalism is a God.
Who are you to question God, you heretic heathen?

LOL!

There is already talk of increasing fares due to the merger.

They will jack up their fares because they can now. This only mean less competition.

It will be a bigger target for lawsuits , lawyers will love it.

who cares, average people don't fly that often anyway.

Mergers always mean less competition. That's why they happen. Customers are never asked if they want a merger.and to see their favourite airline, bank, store etc absorbed by a predator.

AA is the only US based airline who is part of One World (partners with British Airways, Iberia, etc). US Airways and United are partnered with Star Alliance (Lufthansa in the EU). I carry miles with both alliances, but I'm basically going to get screwed out of one of them because I fly internationally every year.

European carriers like British Airways, Lufthansa, and Turkish Airlines continue to provide a far superior level of service (in the economy cabins) compared to the US based competitors... for the same fares, may times better. Even the staff in airports like Heathrow, Frankfurt, and Brussels tend to be much more courteous and helpful (the security police in Frankfurt spoke better English than most Americans).

I'm not asking to go back to the days when flying was only for the rich. We don't need piano bars taking up 200 seats on a plane... just the decent treatment that one would expect as a human being who has paid good money and just wants to get home.

Actually, "Other"

The only way it is possible to sustain a monopoly is if the government interferes. Therefore, airlines should be allowed to merge, split, start, and go out of business as demand increases and decreases without government interference. The only legitimate role of the government is for a redress of grievances if one party takes advantage of another party.

Much better service, better maintained planes. People pay very high airfare costs and get nothing. I don't believe this will cause a much higher rise in their airfare, just the opposite.

Wake Up Conservatives..., this is your doing! Where are the regulations killed by Reagan that limited the size of Corporations?

You recall Deregulation

Yes, and it isn't pretty.

Thank God for deregulation... I can afford to get home.

It might be different in Slovakia, but it is not a good thing here in the USA.

It will create a monopoly, and an even larger, money sucking corporation. What ever happened to the many small companies ideology? If these companies don't stop absorbing each other, we'll have a monopoly.

This isn't a monopoly firstly, there is a great amount of competition in air travel, and not only that there are more ways to get from A to B than just by flying, so we have auto, bus, and railroad all competing in the same market.