American Airlines, JetBlue Ask Court to Throw Out US Antitrust Suit

An American Airlines Airbus A321-200 plane takes off from Los Angeles International airport (LAX) in Los Angeles, Calif., on March 28, 2018. Mike Blake/Reuters

WASHINGTON—American Airlines and JetBlue Airways Corp asked a U.S. judge on Monday to dismiss an antitrust lawsuit filed by the Justice Department and six states over the company’s “Northeast Alliance” partnership.

The suit filed in September alleges the deal would lead to higher fares in busy northeastern U.S. airports and seeks to unwind the alliance. The airlines said Monday the alliance has been in place for nine months but the suit does “not allege that it has caused a single higher price, any reduction in quality or the slightest reduction in output.”