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A bipartisan pair of senators sent a letter to the CEOs of United Airlines and American Airlines expressing concerns about the possibility of a proposed merger between the two air carriers and requested more information about the impact of a possible deal.

The letter was sent by Sens. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Mike Lee, R-Utah, who wrote that a merger between United and American would “combine two of the ‘Big Four’ U.S. airlines into an ‘industry behemoth,’ controlling nearly half of the U.S. market share of the airline industry and creating the largest airline on the planet by revenue.”

“Any proposed merger between United Airlines and American Airlines raises serious questions under antitrust law and raises the likelihood of harm for American consumers,” Warren and Lee wrote.

The letter comes after a report that United CEO Scott Kirby proposed a merger with American and asked for the blessing of President Donald Trump on the proposed deal at a late February meeting, according to Reuters. The outlet reported that a source close to the White House was skeptical about the deal’s competitive impact and how it would affect consumers.

UNITED AIRLINES MERGER TALK PUTS SPOTLIGHT ON AMERICAN CEO’S FUTURE, EXPERTS SAY

United Airlines and American Airlines are facing questions from a bipartisan pair of senators amid reports the companies are weighing a merger. (Samuel Corum/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

If a potential merger between the two airlines were to move forward, it would likely invite regulatory scrutiny from federal agencies as well as antitrust panels in Congress, such as the Senate subcommittee chaired by Lee.

In their letter, Warren and Lee expressed a number of concerns surrounding the potential for the combined company to raise prices on consumers, hurt smaller airlines’ ability to compete for gate access, and cut routes – particularly those out of Dallas Fort Worth International Airport and Chicago O’Hare International Airport.

UNITED AIRLINES CHECKED BAG FEES CLIMBS $10-50 AS FUEL PRICES NEARLY DOUBLE SINCE IRAN WAR

They also raised concerns about job losses at a combined airline and creating monopsony power that results in the company “potentially suppressing wages and benefits industry-wide.”

Warren and Lee asked the CEOs of United and American to provide answers as to whether the companies have discussed a deal directly or with other outside parties. They also asked the airlines to justify how such a merger would be in the public interest, along with specific queries about air fares and fees, job losses and the elimination of routes under a merger.

AMERICAN AIRLINES JOINS WAVE OF CARRIERS HIKING CHECKED BAG FEES AS JET FUEL PRICES SKYROCKET

American said that it’s not interested in a merger with United. (Daniel Slim/AFP via Getty Images)

American Airlines said in a statement on Friday that it is “not engaged with or interested in” merger discussions with United.

“While changes in the broader airline marketplace may be necessary, a combination with United would be negative for competition and for consumers, and therefore inconsistent with our understanding of the Administration’s philosophy toward the industry and principles of antitrust law,” the carrier said. “Our focus will remain on executing on our strategic objectives and positioning American to win for the long term.”

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United Airlines declined to comment on Friday.

FOX Business’ Robert McGreevy and Reuters contributed to this report.

The Gaydon-based luxury marque is pressing ahead with trademark action against the Chinese conglomerate that owns a sizeable slice of its share register, in a dispute that underscores the delicate politics of cross-border automotive investment.

Aston Martin Lagonda has launched legal proceedings against Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, the Hangzhou-headquartered motor group that holds a 17 per cent stake in the British carmaker, over a winged emblem the luxury marque claims is too close for comfort to its own storied badge.

The case, which pits Britain’s most famous sports car manufacturer against one of its largest shareholders, centres on a logo Geely intends to roll out on vehicles produced by its London EV Company (LEVC) subsidiary, the Coventry-based maker of the capital’s black cabs. The design features a horse’s head set within a pair of outstretched wings, and Aston Martin contends that the overall impression sails far too close to the slender winged motif that has adorned its bonnets since 1927.

The row is not a new one, Aston Martin first raised objections in 2022, when Geely sought to register the marks with the UK Intellectual Property Office. The Gaydon firm formally opposed the application the following year, arguing infringement, only for the hearing officer to side with the Chinese group on the basis that consumers were unlikely to mistake an electric taxi for a £150,000-plus grand tourer.

That ruling did little to cool tempers at Aston Martin, and the latest legal salvo suggests the board is prepared to press the point despite the awkward shareholder dynamic. Geely acquired its 17 per cent holding for roughly $310m (£245m) in 2023, making it one of the marque’s most significant backers alongside executive chairman Lawrence Stroll’s Yew Tree consortium and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.

For Geely, the London taxi business is a strategically important British asset. The group has been quietly assembling a portfolio of UK marques over the past decade, with Lotus now firmly in its stable alongside LEVC. Its involvement at Aston Martin was initially welcomed as a source of both capital and potential manufacturing expertise at a moment when the British firm has been burning through cash to fund its electrification programme.

The dispute also comes at a bruising time for Aston Martin’s brand stewardship. The company recently saw 007 defect to the silver screen behind the wheel of a BYD, a coup for the rival Chinese electric-vehicle maker and a blow to a marque whose cultural cachet has long been bound up with the James Bond franchise.

In public, both parties are playing down the significance of the row. Aston Martin has declined to comment further on live proceedings, while Geely has characterised the matter as a routine trademark dispute and insisted it remains committed to a professional working relationship with the Gaydon marque as both business partner and investor.

Trademark lawyers watching the case note that the outcome will hinge on whether the courts accept that the average buyer, whether of an Aston Martin DB12 or an LEVC electric cab, could be confused or whether Aston’s goodwill in the wings motif is being unfairly exploited. What is already clear is that having a Chinese partner on the share register is no guarantee of a quiet life in the intellectual property courts.

Paul Jones

Harvard alumni and former New York Times journalist. Editor of Business Matters for over 15 years, the UKs largest business magazine. I am also head of Capital Business Media’s automotive division working for clients such as Red Bull Racing, Honda, Aston Martin and Infiniti.

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In addition to the fresh issue, the IPO will also involve an offer-for-sale (OFS) of 6.38 crore shares by existing shareholders, according to the updated draft red herring prospectus (UDRHP).

As part of the OFS, promoter Starfish I Pte Ltd and other shareholders Nexus, Wonderful Star Pte Ltd, Kenneth Stuart Glass, Jason Ashok Kothari, Priyanka Shreevar Kheruka, Rupen Investment and Industries, and Centaurus Trading and Investments will offload their holdings.

Despite the share sale by several investors, AceVector’s promoters and founders Kunal Bahl and Rohit Bansal, who together hold a 23.56 per cent stake, will not participate in the OFS. However, another promoter entity Starfish, which owns 30.68 per cent stake in the company, will be divesting part of its stake.

The company plans to use the IPO proceeds to strengthen technology infrastructure, support marketing and business promotion for Snapdeal, pursue inorganic growth through acquisitions, and meet general corporate requirements.

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The Gurugram-based company operates Snapdeal, a value-focused lifestyle e-commerce marketplace; Unicommerce, an e-commerce enablement SaaS platform; and Stellaro Brands, an omnichannel consumer brands arm.
Financially, AceVector reported operating revenue of Rs 244 crore in H1 FY26, up 34 per cent from Rs 181 crore in H1 FY25. During the same period, its adjusted EBITDA loss narrowed significantly to Rs 9.2 crore from Rs 28 crore a year earlier.

AceVector had initiated its IPO journey earlier this year by filing confidential draft papers with Sebi in July and subsequently securing approval in November. By opting for the confidential pre-filing route, the company gained the flexibility to delay public disclosure of IPO details until the later stages.