Spirit and Frontier announce merger: Effect on Southwest?
#1
Moderator: Southwest Airlines, Capital One
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: California
Programs: WN Companion Pass, A-list preferred, Hyatt Globalist; United Club Lietime (sic) Member
Posts: 21,617
Spirit and Frontier announce merger: Effect on Southwest?
Reduced competition should increase fares.
WSJ News Alert: Frontier Group, Spirit Airlines Merge in $6.6 Billion Deal
WSJ News Alert: Frontier Group, Spirit Airlines Merge in $6.6 Billion Deal
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Nashville -Past DL Plat, FO, WN-CP, various hotel programs
Programs: DL-MM, AA, SW w/companion,HiltonDiamond, Hyatt PLat, IHF Plat, Miles and Points Seeker
Posts: 11,072
#5
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 366
It could be a challenger to WN but depends. Back in 2018, Frontier added odd ball routes like PHL-BHM, while Spirit didn't. I believe they both flew PHL-ATL, a WN route where WN isn't that strong, although Frontier was less than daily. If the new Frontier/Spirit adopts more of the Frontier style of routes, seasonal 4x weekly like PHL-BHM, then no big deal to WN in the East/Midwest. But, if it decides rather than run routes like PHL-BHM, PHL-SAV, it will focus on PHL-ATL frequency, that could make it tight for WN. NK's model allowed more connections. I remember missing a PHL-DFW flight on Spirit and I was accommodated on a PHL-ATL-DFW. With Frontier, it ran a PHL-DFW for a short while but had no connecting options. If the new route map has a lot of random flights without connections, there won't be a strengthened route network necessarily.
If it splits DC with a lot of random IAD routes, no big deal to WN. If it focuses on alternate airports like ISP, TTN, ACY, no big deal for WN. But if it loads up on frequency out of ATL or BWI to destinations that WN flies, a bigger problem for WN.
If it splits DC with a lot of random IAD routes, no big deal to WN. If it focuses on alternate airports like ISP, TTN, ACY, no big deal for WN. But if it loads up on frequency out of ATL or BWI to destinations that WN flies, a bigger problem for WN.
#6
Join Date: Nov 2016
Programs: Nectar Card
Posts: 1,092
I think Southwest and Spirit/Frontier are actually very different types of carriers, almost fundamentally so. Anecdotally, Southwest has some of the highest fares in the market, even higher than some legacies; Spirit/Frontier have some of the lowest. Southwest has the most generous baggage policy, and change/cancel/standby policy. Spirit/Frontier has the least.
That said, it's possible that they still attract the same type of customer. But I guess my hypothesis (at least atm) is the merger will affect the legacies (or Allegiant) far more than the likes of Southwest.
That said, it's possible that they still attract the same type of customer. But I guess my hypothesis (at least atm) is the merger will affect the legacies (or Allegiant) far more than the likes of Southwest.
#7
formerly jackvogt
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Atlanta, GA
Programs: Delta SkyMiles,
Posts: 822
I think all the legacy carriers will be impacted by this merger.
Any route that Spirit or Frontier flies out of ATL is automatically much cheaper on Delta because obviously they feel the need to compete. It will be interesting to see what happens. Fare wars will happen.
Any route that Spirit or Frontier flies out of ATL is automatically much cheaper on Delta because obviously they feel the need to compete. It will be interesting to see what happens. Fare wars will happen.
#12
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 5,813
Back in 2014 or so I heard that Frontier was going to take over 16 gates in the ATL D concourse that Southwest was giving up as Southwest reduced their flights in Atlanta as part of the Airtran merger. They were going to make Atlanta a sort of Eastern hub for Frontier but somehow Delta prevented that from happening. I don't know the details but it may have been related to the deal Southwest made with Delta to give Delta all the 717s.
#13
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 376
Frontier and Spirit could offer me free nonstop tickets to any destination and I wouldn't accept. But I do think it can impact Southwest as they flood the market with "cheap" seats. Perfect example is in my home city of Cleveland. We get 1 daily UA flight to MCO and 1 weekly WN flight to MCO (Saturday). F9 and NK have up to 6 nonstop flights a day to MCO. The market is flooded with low fares so the legacy carriers aren't even competing in those markets.
#14
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Blue Ridge, GA
Posts: 5,501
Back in 2014 or so I heard that Frontier was going to take over 16 gates in the ATL D concourse that Southwest was giving up as Southwest reduced their flights in Atlanta as part of the Airtran merger. They were going to make Atlanta a sort of Eastern hub for Frontier but somehow Delta prevented that from happening. I don't know the details but it may have been related to the deal Southwest made with Delta to give Delta all the 717s.
JetBlue proposes removing some seats on Spirit's planes. "The most legroom in coach" could go up against "Bags Fly Free."