JetBlue urges judge to allow Spirit Airlines merger to proceed, Reuters reports

JetBlue (JBLU) on Tuesday urged a federal judge to allow it to proceed with its $3.8B planned purchase of Spirit Airlines (SAVE) and reject the DOJ’s efforts to block the deal, Reuters’ Nate Raymond reports. JetBlue argued that the proposed merger was pro-consumer and key to creating a “viable, disruptive national challenge to the industry’s dominant airlines,” while the DOJ believes the merger would diminish competition. Shares of Spirit Airlines are down over 16% at midday to $13.06.