American Airlines Ends JetBlue Talks, Files NEA Lawsuit

American Airlines has officially ended partnership talks with JetBlue Airways and filed a lawsuit seeking damages following the termination of their Northeast Alliance (NEA), according to a letter sent to employees by American’s Vice Chair Steve Johnson.

In the letter, Johnson revealed that American had recently explored the possibility of renewing its partnership with JetBlue to strengthen its network in New York and Boston. However, JetBlue chose to focus on other business priorities, and no agreement was reached.

With discussions over, American has now moved forward with legal action. “We filed a lawsuit against JetBlue to recover money owed following the termination of the NEA. We had deferred this claim during talks, but now we must resolve the financial reconciliation,” Johnson stated.

JetBlue CEO Joanna Geraghty said during the airline’s first-quarter earnings call that the carrier had not yet been served but noted that the lawsuit was expected as part of the NEA wind-down. She confirmed JetBlue would not seek a renewed alliance with American, saying, “I think I’m going to take a hard pass on that.” JetBlue is currently in discussions with other carriers and expects to announce a new partnership in Q2 2025.

The NEA, launched in 2020 and approved in 2021 under the Trump administration, was dismantled in 2023 under Biden-era antitrust scrutiny.

JetBlue reported Q1 2025 revenue of USD2.1 billion, a 3.1% year-on-year decline, and a net loss of USD208 million. The airline also reported progress on resolving issues with grounded aircraft due to Pratt & Whitney engine recalls.

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Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, ch-aviation.com