American, JetBlue to end sales of each others' tickets next week after judge orders breakup

American and JetBlue volition halt selling seats connected each other's flights aft Thursday, 2 months aft a national justice ruled that the airlines' concern successful the Northeast violated antitrust laws.

The justice ordered the airlines to extremity their much than two-year partnership, which allowed them to stock passengers and revenue, and to coordinate schedules successful the northeastern U.S. The airlines argued they needed to squad up to amended vie with rivals Delta and United astatine congested airports serving New York City and Boston.

The Justice Department, six states and the District of Columbia sued to artifact that partnership, winning its lawsuit connected May 20.

"We are disappointed to beryllium ending fashionable benefits similar codesharing and reciprocal loyalty benefits," Dave Fintzen, vice president of the Northeast Alliance astatine JetBlue, said successful a statement. "With the court's caller ruling and the termination of the NEA, we person to sunset them successful abbreviated order."

JetBlue past week said it wouldn't entreaty the ruling truthful it tin absorption alternatively connected its $3.8 acquisition of Spirit Airlines, a woody which the Justice Department has also challenged, though JetBlue said it didn't hold with the judge's ruling connected the Northeast AIlliance. American, however, said it inactive plans to entreaty the ruling connected the Northeast Alliance.

Earlier this week, the carriers' websites inactive showed formation options connected each other's hose done the year-end holidays but specified income volition lone proceed done July 20.

Both airlines said they would enactment with customers with existing bookings truthful their plans aren't disrupted.

"This is conscionable the archetypal measurement successful the wind-down process that volition instrumentality spot implicit the coming months," American said successful a release. "We volition proceed to enactment with the JetBlue squad to guarantee customers who person existing codeshare bookings tin question seamlessly without disruption to their question plans."

Thursday is besides the past time that customers tin usage American AAdvantage predominant flyer miles to publication flights connected JetBlue.