AirTran Stockholders Approve Southwest Merger

Contributing Editor Carl Unger believes that every trip is worth taking. He loves an extended trip to Europe as much as he enjoys exploring the towns and landscape near home. Basically, you'll find him wherever there is good food, fresh air, and plenty of stories to bring home.

Carl has been writing for SmarterTravel since 2005. His travel writing has also appeared on USA Today and the About.com Boston travel guide.

The Handy Item I Always Pack: "It's not revolutionary, but a small Moleskine notebook is my one travel must-have. It's great for noting things you want to remember and it takes up hardly any space in your bag."

Ultimate Bucket List Experience: "Japan. I'd love to take a month off and visit the cities, temples, and countryside. I'm fascinated by the country's juxtaposition of ancient traditions and modern ambitions."

Travel Motto: “Why do you go away? So that you can come back. So that you can see the place you came from with new eyes and extra colors. And the people there see you differently, too. Coming back to where you started is not the same as never leaving.” –Terry Pratchett

Aisle, Window, or Middle Seat: "Window."

See recent posts by Carl Unger

Want to receive stories like this every day? Subscribe to our free Deal Alert newsletter!

Southwest’s acquisition of AirTran is one big step closer to completion with today’s news that AirTran stockholders have approved the deal. In a statement, AirTran said its stockholders displayed “overwhelming” support for the deal, with more than 98 percent of votes cast in favor.

The vote keeps Southwest’s acquisition on schedule to close sometime in the second quarter, or as soon as next month (though likely later).

The only remaining hurdle is the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) antitrust review, which is still underway. Southwest cannot announce a firm closing date until the DOJ approves the acquisition, which may require concessions from Southwest. Continental, you may recall, was required to give up gates at Newark Airport before the government would approve its merger with United. (Southwest, incidentally, snapped up those gates and launches Newark service on Sunday.)

Southwest cannot make or discuss firm plans regarding its post-merger operations until the deal officially closes, but CEO Gary Kelly recently told the Dallas Morning News‘ Terry Maxon that he does not foresee major changes at the outset. “We have no plans to close any cities. We have no plans to add any cities,” Kelly said. He did say the airline will focus initially on Atlanta, learning the market before planning any changes. Atlanta is AirTran’s hub, and is also home to Delta.

Readers, are you excited for the eventual combining of these two airlines, or do you worry that Southwest might be getting too big?

We hand-pick everything we recommend and select items through testing and reviews. Some products are sent to us free of charge with no incentive to offer a favorable review. We offer our unbiased opinions and do not accept compensation to review products. All items are in stock and prices are accurate at the time of publication. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission.