Alaska Airlines surprised analysts and industry officials with its plan to buy Hawaiian Airlines for $1.9 billion even before a judge rules on the U.S. Department of Justice's (DOJ) lawsuit aimed at blocking JetBlue's proposed merger with Spirit Airlines. But supply and labor constraints are so onerous that airlines like Alaska will likely keep chasing deals despite the Biden administration's aversion to more consolidation. "This is an industry that is constantly looking for an angle," said Addison Schonland, partner at consulting firm AirInsight.