economy
The Big Four control 80% of the sky. Thank Elizabeth Warren
In Focus delivers deeper coverage of the political, cultural, and ideological issues shaping America. Published daily by senior writers and experts, these in-depth pieces go beyond the headlines to give readers the full picture. You can find our full list of In Focus pieces here.
TL;DR
- Senator Elizabeth Warren blamed "spiking fuel prices from Trump’s war" and Republicans for Spirit Airlines' demise.
- The article argues Spirit Airlines filed for bankruptcy twice when fuel prices were low, and that Warren's opposition to its merger with JetBlue was the true cause.
- Warren championed the Biden administration's blockade of the Spirit-JetBlue merger, citing concerns about "runaway airline consolidation," fewer flights, and higher fares.
- The article claims that by blocking the merger, the DOJ, influenced by Warren, is leading to greater airline consolidation, which will negatively impact consumers.
- Before the attempted merger, the "Big Four" airlines (United, American, Delta, Southwest) already controlled 60% of the domestic market share.