Florida has joined an antitrust lawsuit seeking to prevent a partnership between two US airlines from taking flight.
Attorney General Ashley Moody announced Wednesday, September 22, that Florida has joined the complaint to block American Airlines and JetBlue from forming its “Northeast Alliance.”
Related: DOJ & 6 States File Antitrust Suit Against American Airlines, JetBlue Deal
The lawsuit asked a federal court in Boston to stop the partnership, claiming it could result in higher fares for passengers.
It was initially filed by the US Department of Justice and attorneys general from Arizona, California, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and the District of Columbia.
“The airline industry is a highly-concentrated industry,” Moody said in a statement. “The challenged alliance between American and JetBlue will only increase that concentration and hurt Floridians and Florida’s interests. I am especially concerned with this alliance’s likely effect on smaller, more regional airports in Florida where these two airlines are, at least in one instance, the only two airlines flying routes. Because of these concerns, Florida has joined this bipartisan effort to ensure competition and lower prices for Floridians and those traveling to Florida to enjoy our great state.”
The alliance seeks to combine operations in the northeast between four major airports: Boston Logan International Airport, New York’s John F. Kennedy International, and LaGuardia airports and New Jersey’s Newark Liberty International Airport.
According to the complaint, the alliance would result in higher fares and reduced choice, causing millions of dollars in harm to passengers traveling to and from Florida.
Want more news? Subscribe to CPI’s free daily newsletter for more headlines and updates on antitrust developments around the world.
Featured News
T-Mobile’s Acquisition of Ka’ena Corporation Receives FCC Approval
Apr 26, 2024 by
CPI
UK Regulator Announces Two New Senior Executive Appointments
Apr 26, 2024 by
CPI
Paramount Global and Skydance Media Near Merger Deal, Eyeing CEO Change
Apr 26, 2024 by
CPI
BHP Unveils £31bn Mining Megamerger Proposal with Anglo American
Apr 25, 2024 by
nhoch@pymnts.com
ByteDance Prefers Shutdown Over Sale of TikTok Amid US Ban Threats
Apr 25, 2024 by
CPI
Antitrust Mix by CPI
Antitrust Chronicle® – Economics of Criminal Antitrust
Apr 19, 2024 by
CPI
Navigating Economic Expert Work in Criminal Antitrust Litigation
Apr 19, 2024 by
CPI
The Increased Importance of Economics in Cartel Cases
Apr 19, 2024 by
CPI
A Law and Economics Analysis of the Antitrust Treatment of Physician Collective Price Agreements
Apr 19, 2024 by
CPI
Information Exchange In Criminal Antitrust Cases: How Economic Testimony Can Tip The Scales
Apr 19, 2024 by
CPI