American Airlines and US Airways may have to wait until March 2014 before their merger is finalised.
The airlines had hoped the deal would be completed by the end of 2013, but under a timetable set out by U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly, next year looks more likely.
The U.S. Department of Justice opposed the merger in August, but on November 12 it was announced the DOJ and the airlines had reached a settlement that would allow the deal to go ahead.
The timetable makes clear the DOJ must make public summarised versions of its proposed Final Judgment and Competitive Impact Statement by next Monday.
The summaries will be published in three newspapers: the Washington Post, the Arizona Republic, and the Dallas Morning News, over a period of two weeks “commencing not later than November 25, 2013”.
Full details of the timetable have been posted in a blog by the Dallas Morning News.
The DOJ’s Final Judgment and Competitive Impact Statement must be published in full no later than December 6, 2013, while the defendants must respond by December 16. After that, the public has 60 days – until February 7, 2014 – to submit comments and a renewed proposed Final Judgment will then be published.
The airlines must certify to the court that they have complied with the Final Judgment requirements “by no later than March 10, 2014”.
The statement concludes: “Upon completion of the above procedures, and by no later than March 10, 2014, the United States shall file with the Court a certification of compliance.”
