In this Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2013, file photo, an American Airlines plane and a US Airways plane are parked at Ronald Reagan National Airport in Washington. A Federal bankruptcy judge is approving the settlement in the U.S. government’s antitrust lawsuit against American Airlines and US Airways, clearing the airlines to complete their merger in early December.By DAVID KOENIG
AP Airlines Writer
A federal bankruptcy judge has cleared the way for American Airlines and US Airways to complete their merger and create the world’s largest airline.
The judge ruled today that this month’s settlement of an antitrust lawsuit filed by the federal government didn’t upset American’s bankruptcy-reorganization plan, which is built around the merger. He rejected a request by a group of consumers to block the deal temporarily.
American said immediately after the ruling that it plans to complete the deal on Dec. 9.