1.   Although some members of Congress have questioned whether airline mergers harm consumers, Maldutis said mergers can create opportunities for new competition.

2.   And it would revive speculation of a wave of airline mergers.

3.   Another view is that regulatory approval is so uncertain and airline mergers so notoriously messy that predictions of looming consolidation are premature.

4.   ASTA has called for a moratorium on airline mergers until the industry solves passenger service problems.

5.   After a lengthy hiatus, airline mergers are making a comeback.

6.   Airline mergers have often been extremely disruptive and expensive.

7.   Airline mergers traditionally run into trouble with pilots unions, which use seniority rankings to determine which pilots get to fly the most coveted schedules and routes.

8.   But airline mergers historically have been fraught with problems ranging from operational glitches and service problems to labor strife.

9.   But history suggests that investors should not be too optimistic about the benefits of airline mergers.

10.   But if employees are consulted from the start, he argued, an airline merger can succeed.