Southwest/AirTran merger likely to be approved; US Airways gains, Allegiant falls

Southwest Airlines (+0.3%) ended Tuesday (14-Dec-2010) slightly higher, despite the majority of North and South American airline stocks falling for the day. Southwest gained after American Antitrust Institute (AAI) Vice President Diana Moss stated the proposal from Southwest Airlines to purchase AirTran is unlikely to meet with antitrust enforcement resistance "based on what we can gather from the (Justice Department's) public statements in other recent airline mergers".