Southwest sets May 2 closing date on AirTran buy

Southwest Airlines, the dominant carrier at Islip's Long Island MacArthur Airport, has set May 2 as the date it expects to close on its deal to buy low-fare rival AirTran Holdings Inc.

All regulatory approvals should be in place by then, the Dallas-based airline said.

A merger could mean a major expansion of destinations from MacArthur, including Atlanta and Washington, D.C., and many smaller cities. It would extend Southwest's reach to Mexico, Puerto Rico and elsewhere in the Caribbean.