Continental-United Merger Is About to Land!
The Justice Department said on Friday that it has no more antitrust concerns about the merger of Continental Airlines with United Airlines. This combination, when complete, will trump Atlanta based Delta Air Lines which had gained that title when they merged with Northwest Airlines in 2008.
Shareholders at Continental Airlines Inc. and United parent UAL Corp. are set to vote on the deal on Sept. 17, and the Transportation Department has to approve it. The airlines now expect the deal to close by Oct. 1.
We probably will not see much change here in ATL, since neither airline is a big player in the Atlanta Market. However, I would suspect (I don’t travel like I use to so don’t quote me on this…) that as the number of airlines reduce, we may see fares increase.A little less competition in the friendly skies???
Here is a picture of a new United plane, incorporating the United name and the Continental logo.
Varsity Vice-President John Browne called the decision to close the 45-year-old Lindbergh diner “absolutely one of the toughest we ever made.” A makeover had been planned for years, but the Varsity and the City of Atlanta clashed over how many driveways in and out of the restaurant would be allowed. Currently there’s three, but the city would approve only one for a rezoned Varsity Jr.
Two weeks ago, I was on set with the infamous Margaret Cho, who stars as Terri Lee, the assistant of Jane Bingum, played by Brooke Elliott. At one point I wanted to poke my head in the office where she was sitting and tell her how fantastic she was when she was the star entertainer on an Atlantis Cruise I was on a few years ago. Turns out my partner, Ray Benitez DID talk to her when he was on set and she remember the cruise well!
