The Biden administration sued on Tuesday to block the $3.8 billion purchase, saying the deal would reduce competition and drive up air fares for consumers.

NPR's Leila Fadel speaks with Diana Moss, president of American Antitrust Institute, about actions the Department of Justice may take to block the Spirit Airlines-JetBlue merger.

The agreement Thursday capped a months-long bidding war and arrives one day after Spirit's attempt to merge with Frontier Airlines fell apart. The deal still needs approval from antitrust regulators.

The airlines cited weather and staffing challenges. The industry has had trouble meeting the demand as people are ready to travel again.