The report came as executives from American and US Air defended the merger s benefits before Congres

The planned merger between American Airlines and US Airways will reduce competition in a far larger number of airports than earlier airline mergers, including the one that created the nation s current leader, United-Continental, according to a report released Wednesday by the Government Accountability Office.
The report found that 1,665 routes between cities would lose one competitor as a result bargain airline tickets of the merger, affecting more than 53 million passengers. A new competitor bargain airline tickets would be created in 210 routes, affecting 17.5 million passengers. The report added, however, that the great majority of those markets still had effective competitors.
American and US Air have said that the merger would affect a limited number of airports, noting that the two carriers overlapped on only 12 nonstop routes. bargain airline tickets The analysis by the GAO, however, also considers connecting routes with at least one stop.
The combination of American and US Airways, which would create the top passenger airline, is likely to be the last of the major airline combinations. The industry in recent years has undergone substantial consolidation, leading to the mergers of United and Continental in 2010, Delta Air Lines and Northwest in 2008, and Southwest Airlines with AirTran bargain airline tickets in 2011.
The report came as executives from American and US Air defended the merger s benefits before Congress on Wednesday. The airlines have argued that the combined carrier would lead to an increase in service in a number of destinations not served by either of the carriers. For instance, American serves 48 cities not served by US Air, and US Air flies to 64 cities bargain airline tickets not served by American.
Doug Parker, the chairman and chief executive of US Air, said passengers from both airlines bargain airline tickets would benefit from being part of wider network that would give them more choices, more services and more competition on more routes.
American has been in bankruptcy since November 2011. A federal judge approved the merger with US Air as part of the American s plan to leave bankruptcy. bargain airline tickets The new airline would keep the American name and remain based in Fort Worth, Texas.