Alaska Air-Hawaiian deal marks new DOT approach, Buttigieg says

The US government’s move to secure consumer protections from Alaska Air Group Inc. and Hawaiian Holdings Inc. before blessing their merger marks a “new chapter” in how the US Transportation Department wields its powers, the agency’s top official said. “The department has not been very proactive over the last 30 years or so as these mergers have come along,” said US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a Bloomberg TV interview on Thursday. “We still wanted to make sure that there were protections in place” after the Justice Department opted to not challenge the deal. The department on Tuesday gave the green light for the $1.9b combination to close in exchange for what it called “binding, enforceable” commitments from the airlines. Alaska and Hawaiian must preserve the value of loyalty program rewards, maintain existing service on key routes and maintain support for rural service, among other things. The companies also must ensure competitive access at the Honolulu hub airport.<br/>