Estimated read time: Less than a minute
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Alaska Airlines has removed its last major hurdle to buying Virgin America.
Alaska said Wednesday it agreed to settle a private antitrust lawsuit that threatened to hold up its $2.6 billion purchase of Virgin America.
Seattle-based Alaska did not disclose terms of the settlement, which came days before a trial on the lawsuit was scheduled to begin in federal district court in San Francisco.
The settlement also came a day after the U.S. Justice Department approved the purchase, but only after Alaska agreed to scale back a partnership it has with American Airlines on some routes.
The deal will make Alaska the nation's fifth-biggest airline, leapfrogging over JetBlue Airways Corp., which also tried to buy Virgin America.
Alaska said it hopes to complete the acquisition soon but gave no date.
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
