(Photo Spirit Airlines)
JETBLUE’S BID to buy rival Spirit Airlines has been blocked by a US district judge in Boston, on anticompetitive grounds. William Young said he agreed with the US Justice Department and several state attorney generals who had sued in an antitrust lawsuit in March 2023 to stop the deal, believing that eliminating a rival would increase fares.
The $3.8bn takeover would have created the fifth-largest airline in the US. JetBlue believed the deal would have allowed it to better compete against rivals such as Delta, American and United, adding 202 Airbus aircraft to its fleet overnight. In a joint statement, the airlines said: “We disagree with the US District Court’s ruling. We believe that our combination is the best opportunity to increase much-needed competition and choice by bringing low fares and great service to more customers in more markets while enhancing our ability to compete with the dominant US carriers. We are reviewing the court’s decision and are evaluating our next steps as part of the legal process.”