June 30 (UPI) — The Supreme Court on Monday declined to take up a review of the partnership between American Airlines and JetBlue in the Northeast.
The high court rejected American Airlines’ challenge to a lower court ruling that invalidated the partnership between the two major airlines, with Justice Brett Kavanaugh indicating he would have taken up the case.
The partnership which would have seen the two airlines combine their slots and gates at New York’s LaGuardia Airport and John F. Kennedy International Airport, New Jersey’s Newark Liberty International Airport and Boston’s Logan International Airport was rejected as the Justice Department argued it would hurt consumers and decrease competition in the air travel market.
The Justice Department urged the Supreme Court to decline the American Airlines appeal on June 30 and let the lower rulings stand.
“The First Circuit’s application of uncontroversial antitrust principles to the district court’s unchallenged factual findings does not conflict with any decision of another court of appeals or otherwise warrant this Court’s review,” Solicitor General D. John Sauer wrote in court filings.
JetBlue did not join this appeal.
JetBlue is now being sued by American Airlines under their contract.
