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Adds DOJ comment, background on lawsuit and implications of states joining
WASHINGTON, March 31 (Reuters) – California and three other states on Friday joined the U.S. Justice Department lawsuit aimed at preventing JetBlue Airways JBLU.O from buying rival discount carrier Spirit Airlines SAVE.N for $3.8 billion.
In addition to California, Maryland, New Jersey, and North Carolina signed on to the lawsuit filed in early March.
“We look forward to litigating this important case alongside our state law enforcement partners to stop JetBlue from eliminating its rival, Spirit,” Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Doha Mekki said in a statement.
The U.S. Justice Department sued on March 7, seeking to stop the transaction, saying the planned merger “will lead to higher fares and fewer seats, harming millions of consumers on hundreds of routes.”
Adding state attorneys general to the lawsuit could mean extra staffing for litigation, and additional expertise regarding potential effects of the deal on particular states.
(Reporting by Diane Bartz and David Shepardson Editing by Chris Reese and Rosalba O’Brien)
((Diane.Bartz@thomsonreuters.com; 1 202 898 8313;))
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