Airline passengers have filed a consumer lawsuit against Alaska Airlines, claiming that its proposed $1.9 billion acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines will decrease competition in the sector at the expense of travelers.
Eight plaintiffs, described as airline passengers from Hawaii, California, and other states, filed the lawsuit in federal court in Hawaii on Monday. The plaintiffs, some of whom are former travel agents, say that the merger would violate U.S. anti-trust law and lead to higher ticket prices, fewer flights, and job scratches.
“The current trend toward concentration, the lessening of competition, and the tendency to create a monopoly in the airline industry is unmatched, unparalleled, and dangerous,” the lawsuit states.
Attorney Joseph Alioto, representing the plaintiffs, warned that the deal would lead to a “shutdown of competition.”
“Every one of these mega-mergers is a blow to the free enterprise system,” he said.
Alaska Airlines, the only defendant, dismissed the lawsuit as “a normal occurrence in public company mergers” and didn’t comment further.
The Seattle-based carrier had previously said that the merger “will unlock more destinations for consumers and expand choice of critical air service options and access throughout the Pacific region.”
Hawaiian Airlines, which wasn’t named in the lawsuit, didn’t comment.
The merger has already gained the approval of shareholders of both airlines…
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