Ninth Circuit Affirms Dismissal of Challenge to Southwest-AirTran Merger

Skadden secured affirmance of the dismissal with prejudice of an antitrust lawsuit challenging Southwest Airlines’ $1.4 billion acquisition of AirTran Airways. On February 4, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit agreed with the district court and Southwest that the plaintiffs had failed to demonstrate that they could be entitled to post-closing injunctive relief against the merger.