Quantcast

Spirit Airlines challenges JetBlue-United partnership over competition concerns

Airline CEO wants airports to cap passengers at 2 alcoholic drinks to limit on-board disruptions
Emirates Will Buy 5 Airbus A380s From Lessor For $200 Million
Delta Air Lines named official airline of the WNBA
Pair Of C-Suite Officials Depart Wheels Up
LAX Receives Final Cars for People Mover Train
Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines merger clears Justice Department hurdle, now faces DOT
Alaska Airlines flight attendants reject new contract, union says there's 'more work to do'
Elliott Investment To Push For 10 New Boardroom Directors At Southwest Airlines
Alaska Air Backs JetZero Blended-Wing Design
AI in Aviation Line Maintenance: A Strategic Response to Delays, Satisfaction, and Staffing Challenges
Air taxi service plans for 2026 Los Angeles launch at USC, SoFi and LAX
VistaJet Flight Brings Home Americans in Prisoner Swap
Air Canada Blames Paris Olympics On Decreased Profits
Delta passengers sue airline over refund refusals after CrowdStrike meltdown
Microsoft fires back at Delta after massive outage, says airline declined ‘repeated’ offers for help
Korean Air Confirms A Spacious Lounge Is Coming To The New Terminal One at New York JFK
VAS Aero Services to Acquire an Additional 17 Airbus A320 Airframes, Bringing to 23 the Total Number of A320s Slated for Teardown and Harvested Parts Redistribution
Delta CEO says CrowdStrike-Microsoft outage cost the airline $500 million
Boeing Reports $16.9 Billion In Revenue For 2nd Quarter With 5,400 Commercial Aircraft Backlog
United Airlines says flight attendant in Terrell Davis incident is no longer employed and NFL legend’s ‘no fly’ ban is lifted | CNN
Nepal Plane Crash Kills 18 After Takeoff - Airline Ratings
Southwest Airlines is getting rid of open seating | CNN Business
CrowdStrike Outage Caused 10% Spike in Air Charter
Aircraft Engine Maintenance and Repair to Peak in 2026, Worsening Capacity Shortage for Commercial Aviation, Says Bain & Company
Joby’s Electric Air Taxi Makes European Debut
The National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation announces NLRB-scheduled vote to remove union officials
Families recount the horror of MH17 ten years on - Airline Ratings
777-9 Enters Certification Flight Testing - AVweb
Kompass Kapital Sets New Course with Airshare Investment
SATS, SIA Engineering Company and Changi Airport Group to Trial Autonomous Buses at Changi Airport
Spirit Airlines challenges JetBlue-United partnership over competition concerns
Policy
Webp spiritairlines
Spirit Airlines | Official Website

Spirit Airlines is maintaining its opposition to the 'Blue Sky' agreement between JetBlue and United Airlines, describing their response as an attempt to divert attention from the partnership's anti-competitive nature. Spirit first lodged a complaint in June, urging the Department of Transportation (DOT) to review 'Blue Sky' and make agreements public for stakeholder scrutiny.

Spirit requested a 60-day extension for the DOT's review period and publication of relevant agreements. The airline argues that JetBlue and United focused on minor aspects of 'Blue Sky,' ignoring significant concerns. Spirit insists that public input is crucial for evaluating such joint ventures.

The low-cost carrier emphasized the DOT's responsibility to assess potential anti-competitive impacts, even if they don't breach the Sherman Act. Spirit highlighted parallels with the Northeast Alliance (NEA), which violated this act, stressing that public interest must be considered before approving 'Blue Sky.'

Get the Newsletter
Sign-up to receive weekly round up of news from Sky Industry News
By submitting, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. By providing your phone number you are opting in and consenting to receive recurring SMS/MMS messages, including automated texts, to that number from our short code. Msg & data rates may apply. Reply HELP for help, STOP to end. SMS opt-in will not be sold, rented, or shared.

Spirit contends that legacy airlines have long sought to stifle low-fare competition since the Airline Deregulation Act of 1978. It claims these airlines control key competitive levers: loyalty programs, airport real estate at hubs like JFK, and pricing power on international routes.

JetBlue and United Airlines labeled Spirit's concerns as speculative, defending 'Blue Sky' as a pro-competition agreement benefiting consumers by expanding flight options and enhancing loyalty benefits. The partnership includes reciprocal loyalty program benefits and interline agreements, with slot exchanges at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) and New York-JFK starting in 2027.

###

Organizations Included in this History
More News

Recently, Flying Food Group, Inc. held a celebration at its LAV facility to mark Hispanic Heritage Month.

Oct 29, 2025

Flying Food Group, Inc. recently held an employee appreciation event at its LIH facility, coinciding with Halloween festivities.

Oct 29, 2025

Emirates Airline hosted members of UAE Team Emirates XRG at its Group Headquarters, marking the team's successful season in international cycling.

Oct 28, 2025

Amazon has announced that its KSBD Air Hub in San Bernardino recognized its September High Flyers for their outstanding commitment to the company's 16 Leadership Principles.

Oct 28, 2025

Amazon announced that employees at its KSBD Air Hub in San Bernardino participated in the 2025 Pink on Parade for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Oct 28, 2025

The ShebaMiles loyalty program, operated by Ethiopian Airlines for over 26 years, has more than 5.38 million members and offers four membership tiers: Blue, Silver, Gold, and Platinum.

Oct 28, 2025