Alaska Airlines closed its acquisition of Hawaiian, subject to conditions imposed by the DOT, and shared the immediate and longer-term impacts on travelers.

Joe Sprague, formerly Alaska Airlines’ current regional president of Hawaii/Pacific, now takes over as Hawaiian Airlines CEO to lead the interim leadership team overseeing Hawaiian’s operations while Alaska pursues a single operating certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration.

The airline’s chief executive, Ben Minicucci, said in an interview that closing its acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines would allow it to expand, including on international routes.