You have probably seen the recent news coverage about Attorney General Greg Abbott’s decision to have Texas join five other states and the U.S. Department of Justice in a lawsuit aimed at blocking the proposed merger between American Airlines and US Airways.
I don’t understand why the State of Texas — where American Airlines is based — would take legal action against the best interests of our own economy, putting a Texas-based company and Texas jobs at risk.
According to the Fort Worth and Dallas Regional Chambers of Commerce, in addition to the 21,000 employees who work directly for the airline, the company also supports another 175,000 contractors and vendors. Economically, what does that mean for our area? The impact of American Airlines translates into an estimated $27 billion into our region’s GDP.
Knowing the economic and jobs impact, Abbott’s decision to join this lawsuit suit is even more perplexing, isn’t it?
To get more information regarding why he came to this decision, on Monday I sent a letter to Abbott with questions that my constituents, many of whom work for American Airlines, deserve to have answered. For example, I’d like to know from the Attorney General what data he considered when making the decision to sue, who in the North Texas area and in the airline industry he consulted with, what he thinks American should do in the event the merger does not move forward and how much this litigation will cost the taxpayers of Texas.
Once I receive a response, I will be sure to pass it on to you.
Legal action in our state’s name should never be taken lightly, especially when so many jobs are at stake. Regardless of what path the lawsuit takes, the future of American Airlines is of vital importance to all of North Texas, and I hope all of our state leaders understand this.
