Alaska Air Group and Hawaiian Holdings have agreed with the US Department of Justice (DOJ) to extend the review period of Alaska's $1.8bn acquisition of Hawaiian. The original deadline for the review was August 5, 2024. It has not been extended by 10 days to August 15, 2024.
Both companies agreed not to ""consummate the merger"" before the review period is complete. In May, the two companies had certified substantial compliance with the DOJ's second request for more information that it made in February. The airlines had entered into a timing agreement with the DOJ after the second request.
Subsequently, the airlines submitted a joint application to the US Department of Transportation (DOT) requesting the “de facto transfer of Hawaiian’s international route authorities”.
Earlier this month, reports showed that Hawaiian's shares fell over 6% on July 23 as investors grew concerned over the DOJ potentially blocking the merger. These concerns were no doubt exacerbated by the DOJ's blocking of JetBlue's $3.8bn acquisition of Spirit Airlines before it was later terminated in March.
Alaska Air and Hawaiian to extend DOJ merger review period
