Alaska-Hawaiian Airline Merger Awaits Transportation Dept Clearance

The U. S. Justice Department has cleared the ongoing merger talks between Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines. The clearance news comes after the period for antitrust regulators to finish an investigation of the deal ended without a lawsuit to block the deal, eight months after the two carriers announced a $1.9 billion agreement to combine. However, it is to be noted that though the U. S. Justice Department has granted its yes, the two airlines still need to await the U. S. Transportation Department’s final verdict before the deal can be finalised and closed. The approval timeframe has yet to be confirmed.

Statement

“The time period for the U.S. Department of Justice to complete its regulatory investigation of the proposed combination of Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines under the [Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements] Act has expired,” Alaska Airlines said in a statement. “This is a significant milestone in the process to join our airlines.”

Hawaiian Airlines has been struggling financially since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which is why the merger is a relief for the airline service in sharing its burden. However, until the Transportation Departments gives the green light, the good days of unity for the two airlines remain far away.