Ted S. Warren / AP
A new Alaska Airlines 737-900ER airplane is shown parked at Boeing Field Friday, Oct. 9, 2015 in Seattle.
Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2016 | 6:46 p.m.
SAN FRANCISCO — Alaska Airlines has removed its last major hurdle to buying Virgin America.
Alaska said Wednesday it agreed to settle a private antitrust lawsuit that threatened to hold up its $2.6 billion purchase of Virgin America.
Seattle-based Alaska did not disclose terms of the settlement, which came days before a trial on the lawsuit was scheduled to begin in federal district court in San Francisco.
The settlement also came a day after the U.S. Justice Department approved the purchase, but only after Alaska agreed to scale back a partnership it has with American Airlines on some routes.
The deal will make Alaska the nation's fifth-biggest airline, leapfrogging over JetBlue Airways Corp., which also tried to buy Virgin America.
Alaska said it hopes to complete the acquisition soon but gave no date.
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