US: After Texas dropout, Oklahoma asks for DOJ to give up on airline suit

Oklahoma’s attorney general has requested the US Department of Justice to abandon its lawsuit against the planned merger between American Airlines and US Airways, say reports, just days after Texas’ attorney general backed out of the lawsuit as a prosecutor.

Oklahoma AG Scott Pruitt asked the DOJ Thursday, telling US Attorney General Eric Holder that blocking the merger “creates continuing uncertainty for the thousands of employees for American Airlines.”

The remarks were made in a letter penned by the Oklahoma AG to AG Holder.

The DOJ has had a rough week in its lawsuit against the airline deal, which would create the world’s largest airline.

Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott announced he would drop out of the lawsuit following a deal made to preserve service to airports within the state.

Also last week, American Airlines flight attendants began protesting the DOJ’s lawsuit and lobbying Virginia to drop out as a prosecutor.

The turmoil was compounded with the start of the government shutdown last week, which will not halt the lawsuit despite DOJ lawyers’ pleas to postpone the case and allow for proper preparation for the November trial start date.

Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Florida, Arizona, Virginia, Michigan and Washington, D.C. remain on the DOJ’s side of the lawsuit.

Full Content: Tulsa World

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