JetBlue Airways is letting it be known that Las Vegas is one of its key markets and a catalyst for the merger with Spirit Airlines.
The merger, which would create the nation's fifth-largest airline, is still up in the air. The administration of President Joe Biden, and the Department of Justice, appears to be leaning towards blocking the alliance.
However, JetBlue is highlighting the advantages to the city of Las Vegas this JetBlue and Spirit merger would present.
"Vegas is one of the main reasons why we're doing this transition," JetBlue CEO Robin Hayes told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. "We want to have a bigger presence in Vegas."
Las Vegas has always been a popular market. It ranked as the number-one vacation destination in the U.S. in 2022, according to TripAdvisor.
JetBlue Airbus A320 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. (photo via Boarding1Now/iStock Editorial/Getty Images Plus)
"We think the combination airline has very broad appeal," Hayes said.
After a contentious battle with Frontier Airlines, JetBlue announced that it would take over Spirit back in the spring of 2022 and the merger came down to a July 2022 vote by Spirit stockholders, who approved the deal over Frontier.
A decision by the Justice Department may be imminent. In a recent investor call, Spirit said it expected a decision within the next 30 days.
"We are now waiting to see whether the Department of Justice filed suit to block the deal or allows us to proceed," said Spirit CEO Ted Christie.
JetBlue still contends that the merger would create much-needed competition within the marketplace.
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