Ticker: Feds probe competition in air travel; Ex-game show staffers sue Sony

The Biden administration said it’s launching a broad public inquiry on the state of competition in air travel, including the effect of mergers and joint ventures between airlines.

The inquiry is being handled by the Justice Department’s antitrust division and the Transportation Department.

But he timing of the announcement, late last week — less than three months before Biden leaves office, and with the race to succeed him considered a toss-up — casts uncertainty over the fate of the review.

“Unfortunately, the timing of this ‘broad inquiry’, which was announced 12 days before a national election, suggests political motivations,” the trade group Airlines for America said in a statement.

Ex-’Jeopardy’ staffers sue show

Former “Jeopardy!” and “Wheel of Fortune” staffers have filed employment discrimination, harassment and retaliation complaints against Sony Pictures Entertainment after the Culver City, California-based company allegedly laid off workers who spoke out against toxic working conditions.

Shelley Ballance Ellis, a former production executive on the game shows, and Monique Diaz, a former member of the series’ clearance and licensing department, each filed a complaint with the California Civil Rights Department late last week.

Sony Pictures denied that any of its decisions were retaliatory, attributing the layoffs to a broader reorganization.

“Sony Pictures Entertainment takes all allegations of discrimination very seriously,” the studio said in a statement. “Earlier this year there was a broad reorganization of our game show group that resulted in the elimination of several roles to address redundancies and evolving business needs of a 40+-year-old operation. Those eliminations were business efficiency decisions and not retaliatory.”