A Manhattan bankruptcy judge gave his approval Thursday for the merger of US Airways with AMR Corp., the parent company of American Airlines, The Wall Street Journal Reports. The Justice Department’s antitrust suit still stands in the way of the merger, however.
“The broad support of this plan could be put at unnecessary risk if confirmation is delayed,” the judge reportedly said.
In approving the union, the judge nullified a proposed $19.9 million severance payment to outgoing AMR CEO Tom Horton, according to the Journal.
The antitrust suit filed by the Justice Department is the final obstacle for the merger to go through. The antitrust trial is set to begin November 25.