Shares of American Airlines Group Inc. AAL and JetBlue Airways Corp. JBLU veered between gains and losses in the extended session Friday after reports that a U.S. judge had sided with the Justice Department in a lawsuit aimed at undoing the airlines’ partnership in airports in the Boston and the New York City areas. The Justice Department sued in September 2021, saying the planned “Northeast Alliance” would eliminate “important competition” in these cities and also harm air travelers across the country “by significantly diminishing JetBlue’s incentive to compete with American elsewhere, further consolidating an already highly concentrated industry.” In March, JetBlue was hit with another lawsuit by the Justice Department, this time one aimed at blocking its merger with Spirit Airlines Inc.SAVE The two major airlines had ended the day in the red. American and JetBlue did not immediately return requests for comment.
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