	u s okays usair u pacific southwest purchase the u s department of transportation said it gave final approval to usair group s proposed mln dlr uisition of pacific southwest airlines the department said the uisition is not likely to substantially lessen competition and would not harm the public interest the department had given its tentative approval of the uisition in january the department said it decided to make final its tentative decision after reviewing the public response to it the agency said it rejected an assertion by air north america which currently is not operating but plans to start service to some of the cities served by usair and psa that the uisition would lessen chances of new entry into those markets by other carriers the agency said air north america provided no support for its claim that the transaction would give the two carriers monopoly power in some markets the transportation agency said air north america also failed to show that there are barriers that would prevent new entrants into those markets or prevent other carriers from increasing their service the agency noted in its final order that psa operates exclusively in the west and mexico while usair serves the west for the most part with some long haul flights from the east and midwest the two carriers serve five point in common los angeles san diego san francico phoenix and tucsonm the agency said the transportation department also rejected a request by the teamsters union which represents some psa workers to require protections for psa workers the agency noted that usair has promised to give protective benefits to psa workers and that unions representing psa workers have collective bargaining agreements that provide such protections reuter 
