JetBlue, Spirit insist merger won't lead to higher airline fares, as DOJ circles

JetBlue Airways Corp. and Spirit Airlines, Inc. are reportedly making a last-minute push for a merger up of a determination from nan Justice Department connected whether to writer to artifact nan deal.

The main executives of nan airlines, Robin Hayes and Ted Christie, told Politico connected Thursday successful a associated question and reply that nan woody would mean little prices for fliers. 

The brace said they had met pinch activity astatine nan Justice Department's antitrust section connected Wednesday. The Department of Justice has been investigating nan merger since nan summertime and Politico had antecedently reported that it was leaning toward challenging nan merger, citing individuals pinch knowledge of nan matter.

Citing 2 group acquainted pinch nan situation, Politico said Friday that nan section remains unconvinced that removing Spirit from nan marketplace would not origin fares to rise.

BIDEN ADMIN. LEANING TOWARD BLOCKING JETBLUE-SPIRIT MERGER: REPORT

JetBlue Airways Airbus A320-232 takes disconnected from Los Angeles world Airport connected July 30, 2022, successful Los Angeles.  (AaronP/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images / Getty Images)

The Justice Department has a small much than a week to make a last call. 

The companies' statement is that they must merge to compete pinch Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, Southwest Airlines and United Airlines. 

Hayes, nan CEO of JetBlue, said that fares are a "function of capacity," and that Spirit flights would adopt JetBlue's spot configuration – redeeming customers money because planes would spent much clip successful nan aerial and little clip connected nan ground. Christie, nan CEO of Spirit, said fares connected immoderate routes could summation if nan merger is OKed, but said merged companies would person decreased fare costs overall.

A Spirit Airlines airplane taxis toward a runway during a wintertime large wind astatine Denver International Airport connected Feb. 22, 2023, successful Denver.  (Michael Ciaglo/Getty Images / Getty Images)

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People pinch knowledge of nan rumor said Justice Department officials are not convinced that nan caller institution won't beryllium forced to raise prices owed to removed seating.

The US Department of Justice office successful Washington, D.C., Friday, Feb. 17, 2023.  (Ting Shen/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)

Furthermore, to reside concerns, JetBlue has offered to waste disconnected Spirit's operations astatine Newark Liberty International Airport, LaGuardia Airport and Boston Logan International Airport and 5 slots astatine Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.

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Politico noted that Hayes has said respective times that nan companies intend to fight for their woody successful court, if necessary.