Neera Tanden, previously an aide to former President Joe Biden, has raised questions about the Biden administration’s Department of Justice (DOJ) decision to block the merger between JetBlue and Spirit Airlines. This comes in the wake of Spirit Airlines announcing it has ceased all operations.
In a post on X, Tanden pointed out that, as Spirit Airlines announced they were ending operations, “Thousands of people are losing their jobs.” Tanden also expressed that while “perhaps it was” the right call, “an analysis of the situation “must consider as part of the equation” how many families are affecting by the loss of jobs from Spirit Airlines.
“With the recent news that Spirit Airlines is closing and thousands are losing their jobs, it’s important to reconsider whether the DOJ’s decision to halt the JetBlue and Spirit merger was the right one,” Tanden commented. “While it might have been justified, any evaluation must factor in the significant impact on so many families.”
According to a report by Lowell Cauffiel, the budget airline Spirit Airlines has shut down, resulting in 17,000 employees being laid off as of Saturday morning.
Spirit Airlines conveyed its closure through an announcement on its website, where the company celebrated its 33-year legacy of offering ultra-low-cost travel options. “It is with deep regret that on May 2, 2026, we have begun an orderly wind-down of operations, effective immediately,” the statement read. “To our Guests: all flights have been canceled, and customer service is no longer available. We are proud of the impact of our ultra-low-cost model on the industry and had hoped to continue serving our Guests for many more years.”
Previously, former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg highlighted the Department of Transportation’s role in opposing the potential merger between JetBlue and Spirit Airlines during a 2023 interview with CNN.
“It is with great disappointment that on May 2, 2026, Spirit Airlines started an orderly wind-down of our operations, effectively immediately,” the announcement said. “To our Guests: all flights have been cancelled, and customer service is no longer available. We are proud of the impact of our ultra-low-cost model on the industry over the last 33 years and had hoped to serve our Guests for many years to come.”
– News reported that in a video from an interview with CNN in 2023, former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg bragged about how the Department of Transportation was getting involved in opposing a potential merger between JetBlue Airlines and Spirit Airlines.
