Delta, Virgin Move Closer to Merger
Slot restrictions limit Delta Air Lines to three daily Boeing 767 flights between New York and London Heathrow. (Photo: Delta Air Lines)
Slot restrictions limit Delta Air Lines to three daily Boeing 767 flights between New York and London Heathrow. (Photo: Delta Air Lines)

Delta Air Lines and Virgin Atlantic Airways took the first step toward confronting the formidable threat of the recent British Airways-American Airlines pairing as regulators approved Delta’s acquisition of Singapore Airlines’ 49-percent stake in the UK carrier last week. The acquisition means that Virgin Atlantic and Delta have cleared a major hurdle in their effort toward forming a full joint venture, an antitrust review of which the U.S. Department of Transportation expects to complete during this year’s third quarter. The airlines hope to execute the merger during next year’s first quarter.