The Biden Administration is going to court to try to block the merger of JetBlue and Spirit Airlines, arguing that the deal will lead to higher fares and fewer choices for air travelers.
The Department of Justice filed an antitrust lawsuit on Tuesday in federal court in Massachusetts, saying that JetBlue's plan to eliminate Spirit and merge its planes, routes and employees into JetBlue's higher priced operations would especially hurt budget-conscious consumers who rely on Spirit's ultra low fares to be able to afford air travel.
"We allege that if allowed to proceed, this merger will limit choices and drive up ticket prices for passengers across the country," Attorney General Merrick Garland said at the news conference announcing the lawsuit. "And we further allege that the impact of this merger will be particularly harmful for travelers who rely on what are known as ultra low cost carriers in order to fly."
