Thankfully, no such obstacle came in the way of ALK’s buyout of Hawaiian. With the deal being closed, Alaska Air will now work to obtain a single operating certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration or FAA.

The US government’s move to secure consumer protections from Alaska Air Group Inc. and Hawaiian Holdings Inc. before blessing their merger marks a “new chapter” in how the US Transportation Department wields its powers,

Alaska Airlines is closing its $1 billion purchase of Hawaiian Airlines. The airlines announced Wednesday that they have completed the sale just a day after the federal government removed the last major regulatory obstacle.