At JFK, B6 is the best rated carrier, followed by DL, then the combined AA/US would be the worst of the 3 airlines with lots of flights at JFK based on customer service standards of the past.

AA and US pretty much just add marketshare and pile on more customers to the existing networks.

DOJ will likely force divestiture of repetitive slots to other airlines so if anything the merger actually will wind up giving slots to other carriers actually increasing competition on existing routes. But just making the marketshare larger so there is more profit for the firm as a whole, all the while reducing expense and overhead costs due to integration.

For consumers it will mean a better experience with better equipment utilization, better routing to more destinations and more convenience.

Fees go up with mergers but they shouldn't because revenues go up after mergers with lower overhead expenses, so customers should be getting savings due to cost efficiencies even after firms profit. But after mergers, firms get even greedier and so fares do wind up getting raised on average.

But mergers themselves are not anti competitive when slots are divested, since airlines before a merger often have codeshared agreements with other carriers, then it changes to native ownership.

Both AA and DL have been competing aggressively. DL has been a good airline for awhile now as a large legacy airline. AA only in recent times has been improving and the end of bankruptcy will make the airline so much better which will keep both firms on its toes to innovate with new services and improving the network for passengers rather than the old days of airlines leading on cut throat pricing.

The worlds aviation system will be in quite good shape for travelers and make movement by airplane the best most convenient method of transportation.

After the future merger and as a flyer, flying on either DL, B6 or AA will all be good or any other of the worlds airlines.

Flyers are on different airlines for different reasons. You can even make your own routings using multiple airlines of your choice to get somewhere. The possibilities are endless. These mergers don't get rid of competition, they just strengthen existing competition and make the system better.

AA's Pilots know this already.

AA, DL and B6 have room for profit and coexistence. I can't say any other airline experience between the three was better than another for the most part.

DL so far has been the best large scale carrier although at a premium cost.

Lets say I would fly from JFK to LHR, choices are:

DL/Virgin America
AA/British Airways
Aer Lingus Connection flight (from B6 terminal soon, low cost carrier)

Kuwait Airlines also does direct but I somehow doubt it would see a lot of JFK to LHR customers.

Or other airlines with connection flights but generally not cost competitive unless you need to get to the other nation first.

In each market a LCC (Low cost carrier) sometimes requiring a quick connection likely exists. So the merger does not impede competition.

I call airline mergers necessary housekeeping. Makes industry healthier.

DL keeps making moves as does AA and B6 and all three are going along nicely.