JetBlue-Spirit Airlines Cancel Merger After US Court Blocked Deal
NDTV
The companies had positioned JetBlue's $3.8 billion purchase of Spirit as beneficial to consumers, but a federal judge in January sided with the US Justice Department, which had argued that the removal of the no-frills Spirit would lead to higher fares.
JetBlue and Spirit Airlines formally pulled the plug Monday on their merger, about six weeks after a federal judge ruled it violated US antitrust law.
The companies had positioned JetBlue's $3.8 billion purchase of Spirit as beneficial to consumers, but a federal judge in January sided with the US Justice Department, which had argued that the removal of the no-frills Spirit would lead to higher fares.
The companies took the decision after concluding that, given the legal situation, they were unlikely to meet the merger's deadline of July 24, 2024.
