When Congress passed the Air Transportation Safety and System Stabilization Act just 11 days after the 9/11 attacks and the U.S. airline industry received a $5 billion bailout, it was argued that the nation’s airlines were essential to America’s economy, infrastructure, security, and defense. Consumers Union agrees with these assertions, and that is why we’re so concerned that a mega-merger between United and Continental will be detrimental to airline passengers.