Sounds like deja vu?
That dealcollapsedthis past March after it wasblockedby a federal judge.
Mergers, at face value, have a mixed history.
Spirit Airlines Airbus A320-271N takes off from Los Angeles international Airport.Credit:AaronP/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images
They can result in less competition and higher airfares.
But the benefits of combining Frontier and Spirit arguably outweigh the first risk.
For one, Spirit is struggling.
Itscutting routesbecause dozens of its planes are grounded due to engine issues.
And a smaller Spirit would not be good for consumers.
The combined entity will likely be in a stronger position to compete in the Southeast and Caribbean.
The airline would even be larger than Alaska Airlines after itsrecently approvedmerger with Hawaiian Airlines.
First, however, Frontier and Spirit must agree to a deal.
