mergers have been taking off the last two years. first, it was delta and northwest and continental and united and today, southwest says it's buying airtran. less competition often means higher prices, right? >> it depends who you ask. fares have been on the rise this year. some expect them to go up. for one, it's because oil prices are still high and oil prices are expected to keep going higher as the economy recovers as it improves and there's more demand for oil. also, airlines are trying to make up for a slowdown in air travel. but the other side of the coin, others say the deal could wind up putting pressure on those main line carriers to cut their prices. since the recession, discounters have become major players in the airline business and southwest carries more travelers than any