United Airlines says an anti-trust lawsuit filed by the Department of Justice against its dominance at Newark Liberty International Airport is flawed and should be dismissed.
The airline said the lawsuit does not consider the competition it faces at other New York area airports John F. Kennedy and LaGuardia.
The airline responded this week to the action brought by the DOJ in November last year which seeks to halt United’s application for 24 more slots at Newark, which are currently owned by Delta Air Lines.
United already controls 73% of slots at the airport.
The department claims giving United more slots would mean less choice and higher fares for travelers.
"Allowing United to acquire even more slots at Newark would fortify United’s monopoly position, and weaken rivals’ ability to challenge that dominance, leaving consumers to pay the price," assistant attorney general Bill Baer of the Department’s Antitrust Division said in the original filing.
United claimed the lawsuit ‘fails to adequately allege that Newark Liberty doesn’t compete with the other major airports in the New York metropolitan area.’
The allegations are ‘based entirely on speculation about future events that have not occurred,’ the airline said.
