In January, a federal district judge in Boston sided with the government, blocking the merger on the grounds of antitrust violations.
Both JetBlue and Spirit appealed the ruling, hoping to salvage the deal. But with a hearing set for June the uncertainty of regulatory approval increased. And the merger became all but impossible.
It wasn’t likely that JetBlue and Spirit could meet the closing conditions by the July 24 deadline. And the merger became all but impossible.
JetBlue Airways and Spirit Airlines
JetBlue’s new CEO, Joanna Geraghty, expressed disappointment over the collapse of the merger, emphasizing the company’s commitment to challenging the industry status quo and accelerating its growth trajectory.
Geraghty highlighted the distraction caused by the uncertainty surrounding the merger, diverting focus from JetBlue’s efforts to return to profitability.
Spirit CEO Ted Christie echoed similar sentiments, expressing disappointment over the missed opportunity to create a formidable challenger to the nation’s largest airlines.
