US Airways says it is still on track to close its merger transaction with American Airlines by the end of the year.
It dismissed fears the planned merger might not be finalized until March, following the publication of a timetable by U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly for settlement between the U.S. Department of Justice and the airlines, which includes a public consultation scheduled to run into February 2014.
US Airways spokesman Andrew Christie said: "There is nothing in the Tunney Act (officially known as the Antitrust Procedures and Penalties Act) process that precludes the merger from closing.
"As is typical in DOJ merger cases, the District Court handling the DOJ challenge to the American/US Airways merger has entered orders allowing us to close the merger.
"We are free to close once we obtain Bankruptcy Court and certain other approvals.
"We expect to close the transaction in December 2013."
Full details of the timetable have been posted in a blog by the Dallas Morning News.
The airlines must certify to the court that they have complied with the Final Judgment requirements "by no later than March 10, 2014". After that, a certification of compliance will be issued.
