Justice Department Sues to Block JetBlue From Buying Spirit Airlines

The Justice Department filed a lawsuit seeking to block JetBlue Airways Corp. from merging with Spirit Airlines Inc., arguing the deal would stifle competition and lead to higher fares for tens of millions of travelers.

Justice Department officials said JetBlue’s proposed takeover would exacerbate concentration in the U.S. airline industry, eliminating the country’s largest ultra-low-cost competitor to major carriers and reducing available capacity.