Jetblue said Friday it may back out of its merger with Spirit Airlines, after a federal judge blocked the $3.8 billion deal last week.
18.01.2024 - 12:01 / skift.com / Spirit Airlines / Rashaad Jorden / United S.Airlines
Good morning from Skift. It’s Wednesday, January 17. Here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.
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A U.S. District Court judge blocked the proposed $3.8 billion merger between JetBlue Airways and Spirit Airlines, the first time in 20 years Washington has rejected an airline merger, writes Airlines Reporter Meghna Maharishi.
Maharishi reports the ruling represents a victory for the Biden administration, which has supported more competition in the airline industry. Four airlines control 80% of the U.S. market following a series of mergers the U.S. government has approved in the last two decades. Maharishi adds the judge’s decision is a major setback for JetBlue, which had been seeking ways to become more competitive against the giants of the U.S. airline industry.
JetBlue would have fully absorbed Spirit’s operations if the merger had been approved.
Next, flight disruptions are continuing to mount after a severe winter storm battered the Northeastern United States, writes Airlines Reporter Maharishi.
There were close to 2,000 cancellations and 5,000 delays across the U.S. as of Tuesday afternoon, according to flight tracking site FlightAware. Southwest Airlines, United Airlines and American Airlines have been hit with the most disruptions thus far, although not all were caused by the weather. Maharishi adds airlines may not get a reprieve after the current storm passes, with another Arctic blast expected to hit the Southern and Plains regions of the U.S. later this week.
Finally, Turkey is now charging tourists an admission fee to enter mosque and UNESCO World Heritage Site Hagia Sophia, writes Global Tourism Reporter Dawit Habtemariam.
Tourists have to pay about $27 to enter the site, one of Turkey’s most famous attractions, starting this week. Hagia Sophia had admitted tourists free of charge since 2020, when services resumed at the mosque. Muslim visitors to Turkey can still worship for free at Hagia Sophia at appropriate times, noting the government has separated how tourists and worshippers enter the building.
Jetblue said Friday it may back out of its merger with Spirit Airlines, after a federal judge blocked the $3.8 billion deal last week.
JetBlue on Friday said for the first time that its agreement to purchase Spirit Airlines for $3.8 billion may collapse, signaling that the New York-based airline may be looking to pull out of the deal.
Spirit Airlines is expanding its presence in South Carolina, adding flights from Charleston to Boston and New York City this spring.
JetBlue Airways said on Friday that it might back out of a $3.8 billion acquisition of Spirit Airlines after a federal judge blocked the deal.
The Wall Street Journal published its annual list of the best and worst carriers in the US for 2023, and Delta Air Lines once again took the crown for the top airline.
On January 16, a federal court judge ruled to block JetBlue Airways’ proposed $3.8 billion purchase of Spirit Airlines on antitrust grounds. The decision was made based on a U.S. Justice Department lawsuit filed in March 2023 and aimed at stopping the deal. According to the suit, the merger would “allow JetBlue to eliminate its largest ultra-low-cost rival, further concentrate the airline industry, and harm American travelers.”
JetBlue will discontinue service from Baltimore this spring after more than a decade of flying.
JetBlue Airways and Spirit Airlines announced plans to appeal the decision by a United States federal judge to block a potential merger between the two carriers based on violations of antitrust laws.
More than three generations ago, back when the Los Angeles Dodgers were still the Brooklyn Dodgers, they used to have trouble getting past the New York Yankees in the World Series after running roughshod in the National League.
JetBlue and Spirit said Friday they are planning to appeal a judge’s ruling that blocked their proposed merger.
JetBlue said Friday it is cutting several routes from its network as part of its effort to return to profitability.
JetBlue and Spirit said Friday that they will appeal a judge's decision that would block them from completing their blockbuster merger.