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Fight the Power
The Travel Critic · May 11, 1998

Don't just sit there while the major airlines merge into a monolithic megacarrier. Do something.

It's fine to agree with the pundits who last week denounced the proposed alliances-between Delta and United, American and US Airways, and Continental and Northwest-as cartels or monopolies. But don't let it end there.

Now is the time to act. Only the threat of re-regulation will get the airlines' attention, and only a concerted grassroots lobbying effort by travelers will spur lawmakers to action.

"These alliances are going to go through unless the U.S. government says 'No,' " says Paul Hudson, executive director of the Aviation Consumer Action Program, a nonprofit consumer advocacy group in Washington. "Unless the Congress or the Justice Department stops the alliances, they'll happen. And then it will be too late."

Jim Haynes thinks it may already be too late. The president of the Atlanta-based Commercial Travelers Association says, "Technically, what we already have is a cartel."

Haynes is trying to mobilize his 21,000 members, most of whom are individual business travelers, to raise their voices in opposition to the new alliances. Although he declines to offer specifics, he says the momentum is also building to form a coalition of disaffected travelers representing more than 100,000 frequent flyers.

The CTA isn't being alarmist, according to some experts. "As long as the government doesn't hear anything from the public, it doesn't care," says Darryl Jenkins, director of the aviation institute at The George Washington University.

So here's the deal. The government must hear from you, the exploited passenger. And soon. Otherwise we'll all be shelling out big bucks for sardine seats and salty peanuts on ACDNUU Airlines (that's American- Continental- Delta- Northwest- United- US Airways). Remember Aeroflot, the defunct Soviet carrier? That was nothing.

We can stop this madness if we want to. I can't tell you what to write, but I can tell you who to write to.

Joel Klein heads up the Department of Justice's powerful antitrust division. Currently, the only partnership that requires DOJ approval is Northwest-Continental, but it's likely the other couples will move towards merging more than just their frequent-flyer programs. If enough readers write to Klein about their misgivings-emphasizing the anticompetitive implications of these agreements-expect some action. You may also call the division's hotline at (888) 736-5287 to express your feelings about the would-be mergers.

Rep. John Duncan (R-Tenn.), chairman of the House Subcommittee on Aviation, and Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), chair of the Senate's counterpart committee, could really throw a wrench in the airlines' plans if they want to. But if you don't live in their districts, don't bother writing directly to them; your letter or e-mail will probably end up in the wastebasket.

I considered including the contact information for the carriers, but on second thought, I concluded it would be futile. Airlines won't listen to you now any more than they ever did.

For those of you still mourning the deaths of Eastern, Pan Am and Braniff, this is your last, best chance to prevent another round of airline casualties.

Christopher Elliott is a travel commentator and author of A Bridge to Nowhere: A Year in the Florida Keys. All e-mailed questions may be edited, condensed or republished at the site's discretion.