US Airways-American merger; third strike and they're out. With potential international implications

Aside from the baseball metaphor, there's an old superstition dating back to the First World War that may be more relevant to the surprise attack the US Department of Justice launched on the American Airlines/US Airways' merger proposal.

Soldiers in the trenches were incessant smokers, but matches were scarce. The story went that, with the first strike of the precious match the enemy sniper saw the glow; as the second cigarette was lit from it, he took aim; and as the third one drew hard, the sniper fired. So it became third time unlucky.

Whatever the real underlying story behind the Department's move - be it politics, economically sound or simply mistaken theory - there can be no doubt that by the time American arrived at the front there were a number of beads being drawn, as the first two big legacy groups had already consolidated around Delta and United. Increasing concentration in the US airline industry has come with highly unpopular baggage and booking charges, along with generally higher fares and even, shock-horror, industry profits. With the benefit of hindsight, someone should perhaps have sensed a likely backwash.