Delta Air Lines – US Airways Slot Swap

Compass Lexecon experts evaluated the impact on consumer welfare of Delta Air Lines’ and US Airways’ swap of landing slots at LaGuardia Airport and Reagan Washington National Airport. Compass Lexecon expert, Professor Robert Willig was retained by Donald Flexner, Jim Denvir and Elliott Seiden at Boies, Schiller & Flexner LLP, and Ben Hirst and Peter Kenney at Delta Air Lines. Compass Lexecon expert Professor Janusz Ordover was retained by Rick Rule and Andrew Forman at Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP, and Stephen Johnson and Howard Kass of US Airways. Professors Willig and Ordover, supported by a Compass Lexecon team that included Theresa Sullivan, Mark Israel, Steve Peterson, Eugene Orlov, and Deidre Ciliento, evaluated the competitive effects and consumer benefits arising from the asset exchange. The deal won approval from the Department of Transportation, and the Department of Justice has not challenged it; Delta and US Airways completed the transaction in December 2011.