(Bloomberg) -- Alaska Air Group Inc. and Hawaiian Holdings Inc. said they will again extend closing their proposed $1.9 billion deal to give US antitrust enforcers more time to discuss a potential settlement.
The airlines said they won’t close their tie-up until Aug. 16, a one-day extension beyond the previous deadline, according to a statement on Wednesday. The companies said they’ll continue to cooperate with the Department of Justice.
The Justice Department has been reviewing the transaction since February, amid concerns the combination would capture more than 50% of Hawaii’s airline market. But travelers in Hawaii would be able to reach more destinations through the combined networks, while creating a stronger competitor to the four largest domestic airlines that dominate the US market.
The Biden administration has taken a tough stance on airline mergers, derailing a planned combination of JetBlue Airways Corp. and Spirit Airlines Inc. and breaking up a regional partnership between JetBlue and American Airlines Group Inc.
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