By Dan Hoover
STAFF WRITER
dchoover@greenvillenews.com
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A bipartisan group of nine South Carolina legislators is working
to block USAir's proposed hostile takeover of Delta Air Lines.
In an open letter sent Wednesday to the state's congressional
delegation, Gov. Mark Sanford and state Attorney General Henry
McMaster, the group cited concerns about a "negative economic
impact" on the state's tourism industry if the merger goes through.
Consumers and businesses would suffer from fewer flight choices
and South Carolina's economy would be harmed by almost certain
layoffs, they said.
Citing a $1.3 billion annual state economic impact from Delta
operations, the legislators wrote, "If this hostile takeover is
successful, South Carolina's economy will take a major hit" and
hundreds of airline jobs will be lost.
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"We want both of these two companies to continue to remain
independent because we believe the element of competition is
necessary to ensure lower ticket prices. Fewer airlines mean fewer
flights, and with fewer flights available, people will have to pay
more to fly into and out of our state," they wrote.
Last week, USAir bumped its Nov. 15 offer by 20 percent, to $10.3
billion, increasing the pressure on Delta, which remains in
bankruptcy. Delta's management is opposing the takeover.
Signing the letter were Reps. Adam Taylor, R-Laurens; Phillip
Lowe, R-Florence; Bill Cotty, R-Columbia; Robert Williams,
D-Darlington; Terry Alexander, D-Florence; Keith Kelly, R-Woodruff;
and Murrell Smith, R-Sumter, as well as Sen. Ronnie Cromer,
R-Prosperity. |
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