U.S. DOT URGED TO RELEASE AIRLINE COMPETITION GUIDELINES

U.S. DOT URGED TO RELEASE AIRLINE COMPETITION GUIDELINES    Secretary of Transportation has been urged to send to Congress finalized competition guidelines that would apply to the U.S. airline industry.
   Rep. Louise M. Slaughter, D-N.Y.,    urged release of the guidelines in light of the proposed United Airlines/U.S. Airways merger, which she opposes.
   “It is … critical that DOT send a clear signal to the major (air) carriers that predatory behavior is unacceptable. By now, federal guidelines should have been in place to discourage this type of behavior,” Slaughter said.
   Slaughter referred to a General Accounting Office report which concluded that the proposed merger would have “devastating effect on airline competition” and would likely result in additional mergers.