I smell another Obama shakedown!

"We are fully prepared to take this case to trial" if settlement is not reached, Holder said.


BS flag is going up.

In other words: "You arrived at our toll both without the correct change in hand. Dig a little deeper in your pocket." :rolleyes:

That's awesome. I got that call, too. :cool:

Yep.........

I thought a "full stop injunction" was the DOJ's intent...Now they want to "negotiate"?? I'm not sure the govmnt feels too comfy on their shot at winning this thing...
This is nothing but govmnt blackmail and strong arm tactics at its worst..

they never said that, they said we will settle but the airlines won't be able to do it.

Nothing new has been said in that regard. They still say they want to settle but the airlines will have to give up plenty of assets.

Wrong. Bill Baer actually did use those exact words when the DOJ first filed the suit. He then said the DOJ would be open to settlement proposals but hadn't yet been offered any from the airlines. He then changed his tune again and said they would be open to a settlement, but filed the suit in such a way that it would be very difficult for the airlines to settle. Now, his boss (Holder) is saying that government will settle if they receive the divestures they want. Very positive news, although anything can happen. This case has become so high profile, I think the DOJ is scared to lose and look stupid. Its funny how it went from the suit being constructed in such a way that it would be "difficult" for the airlines to settle to now being "a number of ways" (Holders words) to settle

I can't keep up with what merger thread to put this under, so I am just replying here. My opinion is the AMR team would be smart to toss DOJ a bone or bone(s) and paint it like DOJ clearly was "in the right" and the bone tossing to DOJ was a result of "the validity of DOJ's position" blah blah. Then, merger approved.

I think it is important that Holder is the one speaking now, and not the other DOJ folks. This is symbolic.

All we seek is MERGER APPROVAL. Who cares about tossing them some slots. Long-term, 10, 20 years down the road, business plan, post-merger is what we care about. Who cares if it "creates the worlds largest airline" blah blah. Delta held/holds that title now, post-NWA merger: NWA-Delta: It?s a go for world's largest airline | Star Tribune

So it was "ok" then, but "wrong" now ? Etc ? In addition, we have UAL/CAL marriage. "Ok" then but "wrong" now.

Delta just announced huge profits, etc etc, dominance, look at my muscles, we are the biggest kid on the playground, etc. Nobody will bully us. Etc. The above reasons are why this merger is due an approval. Yes, some slots and dead lunchmeat will be tossed to the DOJ vultures, who will then fly away once their bellies are full. So what.

Merger has high probability of going thru folks.

I've read the government is looking for slot divestiture at LGA as well.AA still wouldn't be the largest slot holder at LGA should this go through,that would be Delta.

I would hope that Parker doesn't give away too much simply in order to get this thing over the finish line.American can't afford to have Dougweiser flee from New York or some other similarly asinine idea from the sweat lodge management team he wants to install in Dallas.