The United States Supreme Court has declined to review a lawsuit involving the Department of Justice (DOJ) and two major airlines, American Airlines and JetBlue. The case centered on the DOJ's claim that the partnership between the airlines was anticompetitive. However, the Supreme Court deemed the case irrelevant.
JetBlue had previously partnered with American Airlines in 2021, focusing their collaboration on the East Coast. This partnership ended, and JetBlue also faced a setback when its attempt to acquire Spirit Airlines was rejected by regulators. Recently, JetBlue announced a new alliance with United Airlines called "Blue Sky."
The decision to end the Northeast Alliance between American Airlines and JetBlue was controversial. The DOJ argued that it restricted competition in New York's concentrated market. In contrast, the airlines contended that their partnership enhanced competition by uniting two weaker competitors.