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Business
商业报道
Antitrust and airlines
反垄断和航空公司
Brace, brace
振奋起来,振奋起来
The merger of American Airlines and US Airways meets resistance
美国航空公司和全美航空合并困难重重
FLYING conditions were perfect, it was widely agreed, when American Airlines and US Airways announced in February their intention to take off together.
人们普遍认为，美国航空和全美航空2月份宣布同时起飞的意向时，他们的飞行条件是完美的。
But on August 13th the airlines unexpectedly found themselves fighting severe headwinds as the Department of Justice and six state attorneys-general filed a lawsuit to ground the proposed merger for being anti-competitive.
但是8月13日，航空公司发现他们受到了严重的阻碍，因为司法部和6位州检察官以反竞争为由提出诉讼阻止计划的合并。
The trustbusters argued that this was a bad deal for passengers who would face higher air fares, higher fees and fewer choices.
联邦反垄断察官辩论道，这对于乘客来说是一项坏的提议，他们将面临更高的票价，更高的费用和更少的选择。
The new airline, to be called American Airlines Group, would be the world's biggest, with around 187m passengers a year and more than 100,000 workers.
新航线，即美国航空集团，将会称为世界上最大的航空公司，他们每年大约有1.87亿客流量并拥有10万多的员工。
After decades of consolidation, this would leave over 80% of America's domestic air-travel market in the hands of only four airlines:
合并后的十几年，80%美国国内航空旅游市场会握在4大航空公司手中：
the new one plus Delta, United and Southwest.
新航线，达美航空，联合航空和西南航空。
Nor would the concentration of the industry be certain to stop.
这个行业的集中当然也不会停止。
There is speculation that one reason the trustbusters decided to fight this deal is that they suspect that the new airline is planning a further merger with United.
有推测说联邦反垄断检察官决定反对这项提议的一个理由是他们怀疑新航线打算进一步和联航合并。
Their action may also indicate that the Obama administration intends to take a tougher line on antitrust laws in its second term.
他们的行为也表明奥巴马政府打算在其第二任期内在反垄断法采取更强硬的路线。
Is this concern justified?
这个担忧是有充分理由的吗？
There are many industries where robust full-throated competition persists despite less than a half-dozen major players, says Peter Clark of University College London, a co-author of a new book on mergers, Masterminding the Deal.
来自伦敦大学学院的彼得•克拉克，一本关于合并的新书《策划交易》的合著者说，有许多行业即使只有不到半打的主要的竞争对手，强劲有力的竞争还是会存在。
Examples include telecoms, retail, oil, chemicals and media.
具体实例包括电信、零售、石油、化学和媒体行业。
Moreover, American and US Airways compete directly on only 12 domestic routes—which helps to explain why the merger was expected to win approval.
而且美国航空和全美航空仅在12条国内航线上竞争，这也解释了为什么合并会预期通过。
Yet the lawsuit shows that antitrust enforcers are taking a broader view of competition than has been typical when considering airline mergers in the past,
然而这项诉讼表明反垄断实施者以更广阔的眼光看待竞争而非过去典型的考虑航空公司合并的问题的方法，
by comparing the price American charges to fly direct between two cities with what US Airways charges between them with a stop en route.
也就是通过比较美国航空在两个城市直飞的价格和全美航空两个城市之间有一个停顿的价格。
Such flights take longer but are a lot cheaper. The antitrust authorities fear these attractive one-stop fares,
这种航线时间长但是便宜很多。反垄断局担心这种一站式票价,
which in some cases have been set low and energetically marketed by US Airways to win business from American, would go after the merger.
在某些情况下被全美航空定得很低的，并积极地营销来从美国航空赢得生意的方法，在合并后会实行。
American and US Airways say they will mount a vigorous defence of the deal.
美国航空和全美航空称他们会对这项交易发起一个强烈维护。
They will need to provide compelling evidence that passengers will benefit—presumably not least by the new airline providing stronger competition to Delta and United.
他们会提供有力的证据证明乘客将会从中获益—尤其是由新航线提供更强的竞争给达美航空和联航。
They will also have to explain away a treasure trove of internal e-mails uncovered by the antitrust watchdogs which appear to show airline executives dreaming of the many ways they will be able to charge more after a merger.
他们也必须为被反垄断检查团体揭露的内部邮件作辩解，这些邮件显示航空公司主管梦想着合并后许多方式他们能够收取更多费用。
The airlines may try to settle the lawsuit before it gets to court by giving up certain routes to rivals or guaranteeing prices and services.
航空公司可能通过把某些路线给竞争对手或者保证价格和服务的方式，尝试上法庭前解决诉讼问题。
If they are wise, these will be concentrated on Reagan National Airport in Washington, DC.
如果他们聪明，就会集中注意力在华盛顿特区的里根国家机场。
The new carrier would control 69% of landing slots at an airport under the noses of regulators and politicians.
这个新的载体将会在监管人和政客的监管下控制69%的降落跑道。
This might constrain the operations of a rival, JetBlue, which leases slots from American and competes with US Airways to provide price competition on routes favoured by the nation's politicians.
这可能会限制对手捷蓝航空的运行，捷蓝航空向美国航空租用降落跑道，并与全美航空在受国家政客欢迎的线路上打价格战。
