"Legal Turbulence: JetBlue and Spirit Airlines Appeal Merger Block"

JetBlue and Spirit Airlines are appealing a federal judge's ruling that blocked their planned merger, following the terms of their agreement. The Justice Department had sued to stop the deal, arguing that consumers would be harmed and forced to pay higher fares if Spirit, the nation’s biggest discount airline, were eliminated. The airlines announced their intention to appeal U.S. District Judge William Young's ruling after the stock market closed on Friday, with Spirit's shares gaining 17% in regular trading and rising another 13% in after-hours trading.