Attorney General Bonta: Court Decision Blocking Anti-Competitive JetBlue, Spirit Airlines Merger Is a Big Win for Consumers

OAKLAND – California Attorney General Rob Bonta celebrated today’s federal district court order permanently blocking JetBlue Airways’ proposed $3.8 billion acquisition of Spirit Airlines, an anticompetitive combination that threatened competition in an industry already experiencing the negative impacts of market consolidation. On March 31, 2023, Attorney General Bonta, along with the U.S. Department of Justice and a bipartisan coalition of states, joined a lawsuit challenging the proposed merger of JetBlue and Spirit airlines. 

“Today's decision is a big win: for consumers, for keeping flights affordable, and for competition in the airline industry. The proposed JetBlue-Spirit merger was a bad deal for consumers, plain and simple,” said Attorney General Bonta. “As many families continue to feel the burden of inflation, fighting corporate consolidation that threatens to increase prices and reduce service even further is more important than ever. I am proud of the work my office has done in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Justice and my fellow attorneys general and will keep fighting on behalf of California consumers.”