Continental Airlines gets U.S. approval to work with Star Alliance

Having flown on Continental Airlines a lot since I have been at Hamilton, I am glad to see that they were finally able to make the switch into the Star Alliance with United Airlines and US Airways. I do not see the restriction of competition argument that Delta Airlines has made against the move, because all it is really doing is moving Continental from one partnership to another. It is not like Continental was an independent airline that is suddenly merging into another. I think as long as the airline industry is composed the way it is, we need to get people to their destinations as quickly and cheaply as possible. It does not appear to me that by extending the antitrust immunity to the Star Alliance that we would be damaging efforts to achieve those two key goals. This is one instance in which some of President Obama's Democratic colleagues are not in agreement with his decision, but I think it is better for the airline industry and passengers to support the move because in the long run we will be able to gain more flight options and pricing reductions with the increase in flights abroad and in the country.