Why United Plus American Could Equal More Woe for Passengers

For decades, global crises—particularly those affecting energy—have been a catalyst for consolidation in the US airline industry. The recession in the early 1980s, coupled with deregulation, spurred Texas Air to combine with Continental and accelerated Northwest’s merger with Republic. The Sept. 11 terrorist attacks helped drive TWA out of business and prompted US Airways to buy America West. And with the industry limping around the time of the global financial crisis, Delta bought Northwest, United took over Continental, and Southwest grabbed AirTran. Now, with oil prices soaring due to the war in Iran and the closure of the Strait of ...