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Biden administration launches broad inquiry into flight competition market

The U.S. Justice Department's Antitrust Division and the Transportation Department said on Thursday they are launching a broad public questions into the state of competitors in air travel.

President Joe Biden has made improving airline competition a. leading concern and his administration has taken an aggressive. approach to obstructing consolidation efforts in the airline. industry. USDOT last month opened a probe into the regular. flyer loyalty programs of major airlines and pushed them to. embrace brand-new client service securities.

The Justice Department successfully sued to block JetBlue. Airways' organized $3.8 billion acquisition of. ultra-low-cost carrier Spirit Airlines and likewise went to. court to force JetBlue to end its U.S. northeast partnership. with American Airlines.

The Transport Department also insisted on

considerable concessions before

it permitted Alaska Airlines to finish its. acquisition of Hawaiian Airline companies.

A major airline trade group did not instantly comment.

The departments are looking for public comments by Dec. 23 on. consolidation, anticompetitive conduct and a wide range of. issues affecting the accessibility and affordability of air. travel options.

They looked for details on previous airline mergers,. exclusionary conduct, airport gain access to, airplane manufacturing,. airline ticket sales, prices and rewards practices and the. experiences of aviation workers.

For decades, antitrust regulators approved a series of. mergers that have resulted in four U.S. airlines - American,. Delta Air Lines, United Airlines and Southwest. Airline companies - managing about 80% of the domestic. passenger market.

Good service and fair costs depend upon ensuring that. there is genuine competitors, which is particularly challenging for. the many American communities that have lost service amidst. airline company debt consolidation, stated Transport Secretary Pete. Buttigieg.

The Wall Street Journal reported this week Frontier. Airlines is checking out a restored bid for Spirit. Airlines. If Spirit and Frontier reach an offer, it would. likely happen as part of Spirit reorganizing its financial obligation and other. liabilities in personal bankruptcy, the newspaper stated.

(source: Reuters)