JetBlue Airways said Wednesday that it would end its partnership in the northeastern U.S. with American Airlines after a federal judge ordered the carriers to end the agreement, as the New York airline focuses on its acquisition of Spirit Airlines instead.
American said in June that it would challenge the ruling against the JetBlue partnership — called the Northeast Alliance, or NEA — but New York-based JetBlue said Wednesday it would not appeal the decision.
That ruling was the result of a 2021 lawsuit brought by the Justice Department, six states and the District of Columbia to block the alliance, calling it anticompetitive.
“Despite our deep conviction in the procompetitive benefits of the NEA, after much consideration, JetBlue has made the difficult decision not to appeal the court’s determination that the NEA cannot continue as currently crafted,” JetBlue said in a statement.
JetBlue said it has started terminating the agreement, “a wind down process that will take place over the coming months.”
JetBlue said it will “now turn even more focus to our proposed combination with Spirit.”
JetBlue’s deal to buy Spirit came together after JetBlue and American launched the Northeast partnership.
American Airlines said Wednesday that it will still appeal the ruling.
Read More Here: JetBlue says it will end passenger-sharing agreement with American Airlines to focus on buying Spirit
