An arbitrator’s remarks that he feared ruling against Uber Inc. in a class action over its “surge” pricing model were simply a poor attempt at humor that did not warrant wiping out an award in favor of the multinational ride-hailing company, a Manhattan federal judge ruled on Monday.

The ruling, from U.S. District Judge Jed Rakoff of the Southern District of New York, upheld Uber’s February win in a 2015 antitrust lawsuit against the company and its then-CEO Travis Kalanick, which had claimed that Uber had conspired with its drivers to overcharge for fares during periods of exceptionally high demand.