This agreement is basically a "virtual merger" that will include many of the benefits of a merger without the actual costs and restructuring involved.

Continental has described the arrangement as a "virtual merger."

Douglas Johnson, legislative director of the National Right to Life Committee, said there had been a virtual merger of abortion clinics and family planning programs in some cities and towns.

The so-called virtual merger touched off a series of deals between the other large airlines, though none involved the purchase of an equity stake, which requires Government approval.

The new Continental-United relationship has been characterized as a "virtual merger" in some circles.

They call the arrangement a "virtual merger."

The new alliance envisaged merging the transatlantic operations of both airlines by combining all their commercial activities into a joint company, thus making it a "virtual" merger.

With the benefit of hindsight, BA had underestimated the strength of the gathering opposition to its planned "virtual" merger with American Airlines.

These alliances can act as virtual mergers to get around government restrictions.

This tight cooperation led to suspicions of anti-competitive behaviour, and the alliance was investigated by the European Union as a virtual merger of its members.