Alaska-Hawaiian merger decision delayed to mid-August

Antitrust enforcers looking into Alaska Air Group Inc.’s plan to buy Hawaiian Holdings Inc. will take more time to decide on the proposed $1.9 billion deal.

The Justice Department and state attorneys general now have until Aug. 15 to determine whether to try to block the tie-up or allow it to move forward, according to a company regulatory filing Tuesday. The airlines had originally sought a decision by Aug. 5, but agreed to an extension.

The combination of Alaska and Hawaiian would capture more than 50% of Hawaii’s airline market, which has annual revenue of $8 billion, the carriers have said. 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 agency opened an in-depth review of the transaction in February. 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.