Transportation

American Airlines Argues for Right to Have Partnerships in JetBlue Appeal

  • Federal judge invalidated American-JetBlue Northeast alliance
  • Justice Department alleged agreement violates antitrust law

American and JetBlue said they created the agreement to compete more effectively in the New York City and Boston areas.

Photographer: Stefani Reynolds/AFP/Getty Images
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American Airlines Group Inc. pushed a federal appeals court to overturn a decision invalidating its partnership with JetBlue Airways Corp., saying the ruling would prevent the airline from entering into future joint ventures.

Gregory G. Garre, a lawyer for American, said the trial judge’s decision to invalidate the Northeast Alliance rested on a legal misunderstanding of how the antitrust laws operate.