Justice Dept. Intensifies Probe Into American Airlines-JetBlue Deal: WSJ

(RTTNews) - The U.S. Department of Justice has intensified an antitrust probe into American Airlines' (AAL) partnership with JetBlue Airways on apprehensions that the partnership could result in high fares at important traffic points, Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday.

The first phase of the deal was inaugurated by both airlines in February even while the Justice Department and attorneys general of New York, Massachusetts and other places were studying the partnership.

The U.S Department of Justice is looking into codeshares on nearly 80 routes from New York and Boston. The department initiated the probe as it felt that such a deal will kill competition in the already busy airports at New York and Boston. The Justice Department report said that the investigation is ongoing and no final conclusions have been arrived at. American Airlines and JetBlue had announced their partnership in July 2020.