Frontier Airlines proposes merging with fellow budget carrier Spirit — again

A Frontier Airlines plane near a Spirit Airlines plane at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport on May 16, 2022 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Joe Raedle | Getty Images

Frontier Airlines said Wednesday it has again proposed merging with Spirit Airlines, which is in bankruptcy.

Frontier and Spirit first announced a deal to merge in 2022, but a JetBlue Airways offer later derailed that plan. JetBlue’s acquisition of Spirit was blocked by a federal judge last year, and Spirit filed for bankruptcy protection in November.

Frontier said in a release that it has met with Spirit’s board and executives since it made its proposal. It said materials it has submitted “which are based on Spirit’s bankruptcy court filings, also demonstrate that Spirit’s standalone plan will likely result in an unprofitable airline with a high debt load and limited likelihood of success.”

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