The US Department of Transportation approved the merger between Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines, contingent on maintaining the two carriers as separate entities and fulfilling certain commitments for the next six years. The combined fleet of both companies is of 352 aircraft.
The $1.9 billion transaction was approved by the US Department of Justice last month and is expected to close soon, with Alaska Air Group’s CEO expressing enthusiasm about integrating Hawaiian Airlines into their operations.
The merger includes ten enforceable commitments, such as maintaining service on overlapping routes, ensuring access to airport infrastructure at Honolulu International, protecting loyalty programme members during the transition, maintaining service to rural and unserved communities, including Alaska’s participation in the Essential Air Service programme, keeping interline agreements with other US carriers, amending and aligning customer service plans, improving and addressing onboard services for children 13 or under and obtaining green check marks on the DOT Customer Service Dashboard.
Alaska Airlines will acquire Hawaiian Holdings’ entire capital stock and assume $900m of Hawaiian’s debt; the combined fleet will consist of 352 aircraft, with Alaska’s fifth merger to date.
