JetBlue offering to buy Spirit for $3.6B in Cash
#136
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: New York
Posts: 804
I think the votes just been delayed until July 8th. I think that benefits JetBlue honestly. Thoughts?
#137
FlyerTalk Evangelist
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I am so over this. Either the flying public loses a major ULCC option (negative) or JetBlue doesn't grow and can't compete (negative). In the end we all lose. I've accepted the fact that my stock in JB will never recover and I'll have to work an extra couple of years longer than planned to retire. That's my own fault, but like I said, we all lose.
-J.
-J.
#138
Join Date: May 2011
Location: NYC (LGA, JFK), CT
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I have been confused about this entire thing because JetBlue is acting like they have to win this, or else they go under or something. I didn’t understand that at first but maybe it is the case, effectively.
#140
Join Date: May 2011
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Realize that if they don't win this, there will be no house in the long term to get in order because they will either stagnate or get swallowed up by a bigger airline.
On the surface, the planes and the employees would be a short term acquisition that would result in improvements coming soon. On a deeper level, realize that JetBlue has a poor presence on the west coast because they can't fully get into the busy competitive slot controlled airports. At airports where they can get in, the slots either aren't ideal, or are expensive because they're shoved into an international terminal, etc. When they lost VX, they lost a real opportunity to expand on the west coast. The fact of the matter is, the US airline industry is running out of smaller airlines that JetBlue can acquire for growth. Spirit may not have a west coast hub, or very many valuable slots, but some slots and some routes are better than none. Buying out other smaller airlines is the only way JetBlue can catch up to the larger airlines and stay in existence because organic growth just isn't fast enough, and the other larger airlines will be looking to buy them instead.
On the surface, the planes and the employees would be a short term acquisition that would result in improvements coming soon. On a deeper level, realize that JetBlue has a poor presence on the west coast because they can't fully get into the busy competitive slot controlled airports. At airports where they can get in, the slots either aren't ideal, or are expensive because they're shoved into an international terminal, etc. When they lost VX, they lost a real opportunity to expand on the west coast. The fact of the matter is, the US airline industry is running out of smaller airlines that JetBlue can acquire for growth. Spirit may not have a west coast hub, or very many valuable slots, but some slots and some routes are better than none. Buying out other smaller airlines is the only way JetBlue can catch up to the larger airlines and stay in existence because organic growth just isn't fast enough, and the other larger airlines will be looking to buy them instead.
1) Planes
2) Pilots
3) Staff
4) Slots
It seems like Mayor Pete or someone can engineer a solution that gets everyone the machinery and slots they need to grow eventually, and the labor issues should be fixed over time with higher pay, changed training requirements, etc
#141
Join Date: Dec 2018
Programs: Mileage Plus, TrueBlue, SkyMiles, HH SM, Amtrak Guest Rewards
Posts: 192
If there are concerns of B6 acquiring another airline, how would B6 being acquired pass regulatory muster?
#142
Moderator: Southwest Airlines, Capital One
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It's like Chamberlain's deal with Hitler. You could argue that he bought time for England to arm itself, but Germany also used that time to arm up. Chamberlain was politically doomed if he signed, and also if he didn't.
#143
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Hayes is at the helm 7 years now... the last two CEOs each lasted around the same amount of time. Not to be superstitious
Amusing article in Yahoo! Finance by TWU President John Samuelsen. He is just afraid that if the merger goes though, his JetBlue FAs will jump ship to AFA -- that would be one of the silver linings if this actually happens.
-J.
Amusing article in Yahoo! Finance by TWU President John Samuelsen. He is just afraid that if the merger goes though, his JetBlue FAs will jump ship to AFA -- that would be one of the silver linings if this actually happens.
-J.
#144
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: New England
Programs: American Gold, Marriott Gold, Hilton Silver
Posts: 5,649
Isn’t the real issue here
1) Planes
2) Pilots
3) Staff
4) Slots
It seems like Mayor Pete or someone can engineer a solution that gets everyone the machinery and slots they need to grow eventually, and the labor issues should be fixed over time with higher pay, changed training requirements, etc
1) Planes
2) Pilots
3) Staff
4) Slots
It seems like Mayor Pete or someone can engineer a solution that gets everyone the machinery and slots they need to grow eventually, and the labor issues should be fixed over time with higher pay, changed training requirements, etc
Because larger airlines will grow faster. If JetBlue stagnates, other airlines will grow faster than they do, and then at that point, JetBlue will be such a small player that getting bought out would not be an issue for regulators. If JetBlue doesn't get a piece of the merger pie, other airlines will merge with each other and JetBlue's market share will diminish to the point where they become a target for takeover themselves.
#145
Join Date: Aug 2017
Programs: Hilton Diamond, IHG Spire Ambassador, Global Entry
Posts: 2,898
Isn’t the real issue here
1) Planes
2) Pilots
3) Staff
4) Slots
It seems like Mayor Pete or someone can engineer a solution that gets everyone the machinery and slots they need to grow eventually, and the labor issues should be fixed over time with higher pay, changed training requirements, etc
1) Planes
2) Pilots
3) Staff
4) Slots
It seems like Mayor Pete or someone can engineer a solution that gets everyone the machinery and slots they need to grow eventually, and the labor issues should be fixed over time with higher pay, changed training requirements, etc
As a consumer, I don't want Spirit and JetBlue to merge. As a shareholder, I am actually a bit perplexed by Spirit's adamant opposition to the deal. Is it really that much more likely that a Frontier merger would be approved while JetBlue wouldn't? The continuous postponing of the vote would indicate either Spirit is thinking about it or doesn't have the votes they want to have. If I had to guess from the language used, I'd go with the latter.
I think it's going to be a tough sell to convince the shareholder to go with Frontier.
#146
Join Date: Feb 2019
Posts: 5,871
JetBlue wants to be a major airline. This merger will move them up on the list. Otherwise, how attractive is investing into a smaller airline like Jetblue, heading into a recession, that is being plagued by fuel and labor costs?
As a consumer, I don't want Spirit and JetBlue to merge. As a shareholder, I am actually a bit perplexed by Spirit's adamant opposition to the deal. Is it really that much more likely that a Frontier merger would be approved while JetBlue wouldn't? The continuous postponing of the vote would indicate either Spirit is thinking about it or doesn't have the votes they want to have. If I had to guess from the language used, I'd go with the latter.
I think it's going to be a tough sell to convince the shareholder to go with Frontier.
As a consumer, I don't want Spirit and JetBlue to merge. As a shareholder, I am actually a bit perplexed by Spirit's adamant opposition to the deal. Is it really that much more likely that a Frontier merger would be approved while JetBlue wouldn't? The continuous postponing of the vote would indicate either Spirit is thinking about it or doesn't have the votes they want to have. If I had to guess from the language used, I'd go with the latter.
I think it's going to be a tough sell to convince the shareholder to go with Frontier.
#147
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It's like two drunks leaning on each other for support. B6 does not have the managerial skill to run itself as is, much less manage a massive acquisition of a completely different and not really complementary company. I don't know what hubris at B6 HQ gives them an iota of confidence that they know what they are doing.
I can just imagine B6 HQ being consumed with all this play-acting and posturing instead of running an airline. That attitude rolls down all the way to the lowliest baggage handler. Fish rots from the head down.
I can just imagine B6 HQ being consumed with all this play-acting and posturing instead of running an airline. That attitude rolls down all the way to the lowliest baggage handler. Fish rots from the head down.
#148
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: New York
Posts: 804
Vote delayed again…reminds me of rolling delays at JetBlue
#149
Join Date: May 2011
Location: NYC (LGA, JFK), CT
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Seems like some kind of negotiated solution among all three airlines may make the most sense