[1/2] Airplane model is placed on displayed Spirit Airlines and jetBlue Airways logos in this illustration taken, June 21, 2022.
REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustrations/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsBOSTON, Oct 31 (Reuters) - The U.S. Department of Justice heads to trial on Tuesday to urge a federal judge to block JetBlue Airways' (JBLU.O) planned $3.8 billion acquisition of ultra-low-cost carrier Spirit Airlines.
The trial will take place without a jury over about three weeks before U.S. District Judge William Young.
A merger between JetBlue and Spirit, the sixth and seventh largest U.S. carriers, respectively, would mark the first major U.S. airline combination since Alaska Airlines bought Virgin America in 2016.
The Justice Department alleges the merger would eliminate the pressure larger airlines, including JetBlue, face to lower their fares in response to competition from Spirit and cost consumers over $2 billion in higher fares annually.
Persons:
Dado Ruvic, Joe Biden's, William Young, Young, Biden, Leo Sorokin, Nate Raymond, Alexia Garamfalvi, Nick Zieminski
Organizations:
Airlines, jetBlue Airways, REUTERS, Rights, U.S . Department of Justice, JetBlue Airways, Spirit Airlines, U.S, JetBlue, Spirit, Alaska Airlines, Virgin America, United Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Justice Department, Department, Democratic, District of Columbia, The, Big, American, Thomson
Locations:
Boston, U.S, New York City, Newark, Fort Lauderdale