If the two companies merge, United and Continental Airlines have agreed to keep at least 90 percent of the average number of their daily flights out of Hopkins. The agreement was reached Monday with Ohio's Attorney General Richard Cordray and lasts for two years. After that, the new airline can make cuts if it is losing money.
Cordray led a 15-state investigation into the effects of a proposed merger. He says the settlement ends Ohio's involvement in that action.
Richard Cordray: We will not bring a legal action to try to block this merger which people can make their own judgements as to whether that would have even succeeded here. But the airline and we worked to get the commitments to resolve that short of fighting this out in court.
Cordray says if the airlines would pay $20 million in damages and could be taken to federal court to fulfill the terms of the settlement.
Cleveland-Hopkins is Continental Airlines smallest hub - one experts say is most likely to be cut in the $3 billion proposed merger. The US Justice Department gave the proposed United-Continental merger a green light after it completed its antitrust review in late August. Stockholders are set to cast their votes for or against the creation of what would become the world's largest airline Friday.