KJZZ

One thing that won’t be delayed because of the government shutdown is the trial over the merger of American Airlines and Tempe-based US Airways.

A federal judge in Washington denied a Department of Justice request to put the case on hold on Tuesday.

Department of Justice prosecutors are suing to block the merger between the two airlines. But now that non-essential federal workers are being furloughed, the DOJ is trying to put its civil cases on pause.

On Tuesday, Federal District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly said it would be “inappropriate” to postpone the antitrust case, given the merger has a deadline of Jan. 18, and that many of the airline employees have an interest in the case being resolved quickly.

Furthermore, Kollar-Kotelly said the merger has already been delayed because of the DOJ’s suit. She said it is “essential” that the DOJ continue litigating the case.