Feature Story

Frontier-Spirit Merger Shakes up U.S. ULCC Market

The ultra-low-cost-carrier model in the U.S. got a big boost last week. Frontier Airlines and Spirit Airlines unveiled plans to merge in a deal that would create a U.S. budget juggernaut to be reckoned with. The merger would create the...

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Issue No. 850

That Frontier Spirit

One of the most popular airline-industry parlor games (yes, we've heard there are such things) is which two airlines would be the next dominoes to fall in U.S. airline consolidation. It's been a long parlor game; the last merger was…

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Issue No. 897

Mideast Goes Low Cost

The earnings parade marches on. More airlines reported their calendar fourth results last week, including Japan’s two major airlines. In a break with pre-Covid norms, ANA is now outperforming its smaller and more internationally-focused rival JAL. In India, IndiGo continues...

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Issue No. 896

Wizz Air Stumbles

With earnings season in full swing, we now have a clear picture of airline trends in the U.S. The Big Three — American, Delta, and United — all performed admirably in the fourth quarter, boosted no doubt by exceptionally strong...

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Issue No. 895

United Confronts New Realities

Polite. Complimentary. Respectful. Nobody would use these adjectives to describe Scott Kirby’s attitude toward low-cost airlines. The United Airlines chief showed up for the company’s fourth quarter earnings call with a baseball bat, swinging at rivals for sins ranging from...

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