From CNBC:

Alaska Airlines faces scrutiny of its $1.9 billion acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines after the Justice Department successfully halted JetBlue’s attempted buyout of Spirit Airlines. U.S. District Court Judge William Young’s decision raises questions about the fate of Alaska-Hawaiian merger. Both airlines express confidence, noting less than 3% network overlap and more than 1,300 daily flights in their combined networks.

The Justice Department, fresh off a victory against the JetBlue-American partnership, may launch efforts to challenge Alaska-Hawaiian as well. The JetBlue-Spirit case cast a shadow on the Alaska deal, with analysts predicting a lower probability of the Alaska-Hawaiian merger. Expectations are for the deal to take 12-18 months to close.

Alaska and Hawaiian executives believe their deal remains unaffected by the recent airline linkups halted by the Justice Department. The acquisition aims to enhance competition and expand consumer choices. The combined network would have less than 3% overlap and over 1,300 daily flights, differentiating it from the JetBlue-Spirit deal. Both airlines express confidence in the benefits of their combination.



Read more: JetBlue-Spirit ruling doesn’t spell doom for Alaska-Hawaiian merger