Gov. Mary Fallin, Tulsa Mayor Dewey Bartlett and Tulsa Regional Chamber President Mike Neal are praising an agreement that allows American Airlines and US Airways to merge.
The U.S. Justice Department said Tuesday that the agreement allows the merger that creates the world's biggest airline. The agreement requires the airlines to scale back the size of the merger at certain airports in large cities.
“I’m particularly thrilled for the 6,000 AA employees in Tulsa who stand to benefit from this agreement," Fallin said in a statement. "We know that the state of Oklahoma will continue to be a great place for these employees to call home, and an ever-growing hub for the aerospace and aviation industries.”
Chamber President Neal says the agreement will support the airline industry in Tulsa and Oklahoma while Bartlett says the merger provides stronger footing for Tulsa's workforce.
American has more than 6,000 workers at its maintenance facility in Tulsa.
The Justice Department had earlier sued to block the merger on grounds that it would restrict competition and drive up prices.
The settlement still requires approval by a federal judge.
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