DOT announces ‘protections’ for Alaska Air, Hawaiian merger

The Department of Transportation said it secured “binding, enforceable public-interest protections” from Alaska Airlines (ALK) and Hawaiian Airlines (HA) prior to the close of their merger. The protections “are aimed at preventing harms to the traveling public, rural communities, and smaller airline competitors.” As the merger moves forward, Alaska and Hawaiian are required to “protect the value of rewards, maintain existing service on key Hawaiian routes to the continental United States and inter-island, preserve support for rural service, ensure competitive access at the Honolulu hub airport, guarantee fee-free family seating and alternative compensation for controllable disruptions, and lower costs for military families,” the Department of Transportation announced.