A week after Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott changed his mind about the Department of Justice's lawsuit challenging the merger between American Airlines and US Airways, the Allied Pilots Association is asking the Florida AG to do the same.
The APA placed an ad in both the Tallahassee Democrat and their website to "urge Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi to withdraw from the Justice Department lawsuit," according to a statement released by the APA Monday.
The top of the ad has a bold headline that reads "An Open Letter to Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi from the 10,000 Pilots of American Airlines" and goes on to mention how blocking the merger may actually result in fewer flights in Florida, reducing competition - the main concern of the DOJ lawsuit.
"If American Airlines and US Airways are not permitted to merge, American Airlines could be forced to shed less profitable routes, resulting in the potential service cuts you cite as justification for opposing the merger," the letter states.
The ad, which can be read here in it's entirety, will run through Thursday. In this latest version, they ask Bondi to get in touch with Abbott and ask him why he changed his tune.
"Maybe you should ask Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott about why he withdrew Texas from the Justice Department lawsuit after initially supporting it. In announcing Texas’ withdrawal, Attorney General Abbott stated that the new American Airlines 'will preserve competition in the marketplace, maintain important routes in Texas and protect jobs,'" the letter states.
Prior to him changing his mind and withdrawing from the lawsuit, the APA wrote a similar letter to Abbott.