A federal judge in the US has rejected a request to reopen a failed lawsuit against the merger of Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines.
The plaintiffs, including passengers and former travel agent employees, had originally argued that the $1,9 billion merger could reduce competition and create a monopoly. The plaintiffs argued that the merger would result in fewer offerings and potentially higher prices in markets such as Hawaii and on inter-island hops to Asia. However, Judge Derrick K. Watson ruled in August 2024 that the plaintiffs failed to prove "concrete or specific harm" and denied the retrial on October 21, 2024, because he found the evidence was insufficient.
According to Alaska Airlines, the plaintiffs are "serial plaintiffs" who have also challenged previous mergers without success. The merger itself has already cleared an important hurdle after the review by the US Department of Justice (DOJ) ended without objection in August. The merger is nevertheless being watched critically, especially in Hawaii, where Hawaiian Airlines has a large market share and jobs could be affected. According to current status, the merger will be finalized in 2024, with the approval of the Department of Transportation (DOT), and is intended to create increased customer loyalty by merging the frequent flyer programs.
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