DOJ: It's good for consumers to have an independent Spirit

The government’s case doesn't have much to do with JetBlue. Instead, it wants to save an innovative airline that consumers rely on.

When I heard whispers the U.S. Department of Justice planned to file suit to block JetBlue’s proposed merger with Spirit, I wondered if the government would get it wrong, perhaps by arguing it needed to protect the JetBlue Effect: that circa-2003 argument that the airline lowered prices in competitive markets. As insiders know, this has not been particu…