United Continental merger approved by Justice Dept

[JF Mezei]

US Justice Department approved the United Continental merger. The deal
still needs to be approved by shareholders (expected next month).

This will create the largest airline in world based on passenger miles
flown.

The combined group will use the United Airlines name, but the
Continental livery.


Do they require other approvals (EU governments ?), or do they now have
green lights all the way to signing the merger on the dotted line ?

Since they have decided on Chicago being the head office, does this
imlicitely mean that United's culture will prevail ? Or will Continental
be able to impose its more succesful culture on the management of the
new airline ?

Have United's unions commented yet ? Have they begun to cause trouble ?
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[A Guy Called Tyketto]

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Post by JF Mezei
US Justice Department approved the United Continental merger. The deal
still needs to be approved by shareholders (expected next month).
This will create the largest airline in world based on passenger miles
flown.
The combined group will use the United Airlines name, but the
Continental livery.
Do they require other approvals (EU governments ?), or do they now have
green lights all the way to signing the merger on the dotted line ?

I don't think it comes under EU scrutiny. However, the DOJ's
approval for the merger came with a price: slots/routes at KEWR. Since
a lot of their routes overlap and are limited, especially into KEWR
UAL/COA agreed to give up those slots to SWA. As a result, SWA will be
starting up service early to KEWR in early to mid-2011.

Union approval still is to go, but at least they cleared the
government hurdle.

BL.
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Brad Littlejohn | Email: ***@sbcglobal.net
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Web + NewsMaster, BOFH.. Smeghead! :) | http://www.wizard.com/~tyketto
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[Roland Perry]

Post by JF Mezei
US Justice Department approved the United Continental merger. The deal
still needs to be approved by shareholders (expected next month).
This will create the largest airline in world based on passenger miles
flown.
The combined group will use the United Airlines name, but the
Continental livery.

Will they merge their Frequent Flyer programmes? I currently have some
points with United that will expire before being useful to gain a
reward. Shifting them onto my Continental account would be helpful. (Or
maybe it will be the other way round?)

Post by JF Mezei
Do they require other approvals (EU governments ?), or do they now have
green lights all the way to signing the merger on the dotted line ?

Brussels, 27 July 2010

Mergers: Commission approves merger between United Air Lines and
Continental Airlines

The European Commission has cleared under the EU Merger Regulation the
proposed merger between United Air Lines and Continental Airlines, both
US carriers. After examining the operation, the Commission concluded
that the transaction would not significantly impede effective
competition in the European Economic Area (EEA) or any substantial part
of it.

http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/10/1010

[John Levine]

Post by Roland Perry
Will they merge their Frequent Flyer programmes?

Yes, of course. If you have accounts in both they will combine them
and add the points, probably with some arcane rules about what points
expire when. Here's the press release:

http://www.unitedcontinentalmerger.com/benefits/customers/frequent-flyer

R's,
John
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[Roland Perry]

Post by John Levine

Post by Roland Perry
Will they merge their Frequent Flyer programmes?

Yes, of course. If you have accounts in both they will combine them
and add the points

Into what sounds like a new scheme. I'll await developments (but my love
affair with OnePass ceased when they diverged from KLM about a year
ago).

[John Levine]

Post by Roland Perry
Into what sounds like a new scheme. I'll await developments (but my love
affair with OnePass ceased when they diverged from KLM about a year
ago).

They're definitely both Star Alliance. I credit all my Star miles to
Aeroplan because they only need 35K miles for gold status.

R's,
John
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