Early Date Set for U.S. Suit to Block Airlines" Merger A federal judge set a trial date of Nov. 25 in the government's legal challenge to the merger of American Airlines and the US Airways Group. Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly announced the date at a hearing in United States District Court. The Justice Department had asked for a March trial, but the airlines said holding a deal together for months would strain both parties. March 3, I think, is too far off. It needs to be a tighter, expedited schedule," she said. The Justice Department sued on Aug. 13 to block the deal, which would create the world's biggest air carrier.