Recent History, Geography on Side of US Air-AA Merger
The “new” American Airlines would rank as the largest carrier in the world. (Image: American Airlines)
The “new” American Airlines would rank as the largest carrier in the world. (Image: American Airlines)

The proposed merger of American Airlines and US Airways will no doubt undergo close scrutiny by antitrust regulators and face particularly vigorous opposition from consumer advocacy groups. Even supporters concede that the effort toward creating the largest airline in the world will face obstacles. Ultimately, though, the benefits to the air transport industry will prove to outweigh the potential for an anticompetitive outcome, say analysts and antitrust experts who point to the recent history of so-called mega-merger approvals and the lack of overlapping routes between the two networks.