Recent US Airline Combinations
By APMonday, September 27, 2010
Recent US Airline Combinations
Southwest Airlines has agreed to acquire smaller discount carrier AirTran Holdings Inc. The announcement comes just days before United Airlines and Continental will close a deal to become the world’s largest airline.
In 1997, AirTran AirWays was bought by ValuJet. The AirTran brand replaced ValuJet.
Here is a recap of some airline combinations of note since then:
2001: American Airlines purchases TWA.
2004: Air France buys KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, changes name to Air France KLM.
2005: America West buys US Airways, keeps the US Airways name.
2008: Delta Air Lines takes over Northwest Airlines. Delta becomes the world’s biggest airline when the deal is completed in 2009.
2009: Republic Airways acquires Midwest Airlines and Frontier Airlines. Operates as Frontier.
2010: United Airlines and Continental Airlines plan to combine as United Airlines. The new United will overtake Delta as the world’s No. 1 carrier.
(This version CORRECTS AirTran’s name in the second paragraph. An earlier version of the story incorrectly referred to AirTran Airlines.)
