This week’s news therefore hardly reflects an opportunistic move. Rumours of an ultra-low-cost unification then persisted for years – notably when there was a change in the leadership team at either carrier, as our analysis from 2016 demonstrates. At the time, reports suggested Indigo managing partner William Franke was keen on Spirit purchasing Frontier, but the former’s board did not share his vision. The unique circumstances around the Frontier Airlines-Spirit Airlines merger mean it is debatable whether it has anything to say about prospects for wider consolidation in the global airline industry.įor starters, it is a deal almost 10 years in the making, Indigo Partners having sold its stake in Spirit before purchasing Frontier in 2013. Decade of Airline Excellence Awards 2020.Airline Business special: CEOs to watch in 2021.FlightGlobal Guide to Business Aviation Training and Safety 2021.Airline Business Covid-19 recovery tracker: November 2021 update.EDGE: A new global force in aerospace and defence.

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