Jetblue Airlines To Buy Spirit To Become The 5th Largest Airline In the US

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Jetblue Airlines To Buy Spirit To Become The 5th Largest Airline in the US. Spirit Airlines shareholders voted this week to sell the airline to JetBlue Airways, a deal that could reshape the US airline industry by providing a more real competitor to the four dominant airlines.

Jetblue Airlines To Buy Spirit

Jetblue said they anticipate closing the deal, which valued Spirit at $3.8 billion, by the first half of 2024.

“This is an important step forward on our path to completing a combination that will create the most compelling national low-fare challenger to the dominant US carriers,” Spirit Airlines CEO Ted Christie said in a statement.

JetBlue must now defend the deal from federal antitrust scrutiny, having persuaded Spirit’s shareholders. Under President Biden, regulators have been outspokenly opposed to corporate consolidation, particularly in industries dominated by a few companies. The Justice Department has filed a lawsuit to block a joint venture between JetBlue and American Airlines in Boston and New York, and it has begun an investigation into the JetBlue-Spirit deal. Source: New York Times

Jetblue Airlines To Buy Spirit To Become The 5th Largest

The merger would result in the formation of America’s fifth-largest airline, and here are some interesting facts about the merger.

Frontier Airlines, based in Denver, made a $2.4 billion profit in February. Spirit postponed the vote on the merger proposal before terminating talks in July. During the negotiations, JetBlue made an unsolicited counteroffer in April for $3.8 Billion which has now been accepted.
JetBlue has stated that the merger will result in annual savings of $600 million to $700 million and that the combined airline will generate approximately $11.9 billion in revenue.
JetBlue and Spirit have 77 million customers combined:
Together, the two can provide 1,700+:
daily flights to over 125 destinations across 30 countries
It will have a total crew of 34,000
There are 450 planes in the airline fleet, with another 300 on order.

5th Largest Airline in the US

Jetblue Airlines To Buy Spirit To Become The 5th Largest Airline In the US. The merged Jetblue Airlines / Spirit Airlines will Become The 5th Largest Airline In the US. Here are the top airline in the US

Troubles of Spirit Airline

[Spirit] frequently has the highest rate of flight cancellations and the lowest rate of on-time performance of any marketing carrier. Spirit, along with Frontier, has the shortest seat-to-seat distance (28″) of any carrier… Flight attendant unions have accused Spirit of being woefully unprepared to deal with weather-related cancellations, which have frequently resulted in “operational meltdowns” that have left passengers and employees “stranded without answers.”

Before the deal expires, Spirit’s unionized pilots are demanding pay parity and better working conditions. The talks began last month.

The Airline Pilots Association (ALPA) believes that reaching an agreement before the merger would provide captains and co-pilots with additional protection if and when the merger occurs, and it would eliminate the need for further negotiations with JetBlue at a later date.

Spirit’s 3,000 pilots earned less than JetBlue’s 4,000 across designations and tenures as of January. Source: Quartz

Comparison of Jetblue and Spirit Pilot Salaries Image Credit: Quartz

4 Biggest Airlines in the US

1. American Airlines

In June 2022, American Airlines operated 174,465 flight services, making it the world’s largest airline in terms of fleet size, number of scheduled passengers transported, and revenue per passenger mile. The company, along with its affiliates and regional partners, operates over 6,800 flights per day to approximately 350 destinations in 50 countries.

The company had 123,400 employees in 2021. American Airlines will be the world’s largest commercial flight operator in 2022, with a fleet of 911 aircraft ranging from Boeing to Airbus, and an increase of 161 aircraft is planned.

2. Delta Airlines

Delta Airlines, the world’s second-largest carrier, currently operate 137,682 flight services in 2022. Delta is one of the world’s oldest airlines that is still in operation. Delta Airlines, along with regional affiliates such as Delta Connection, operates approximately 5,400 flights per day to more than 325 destinations in 52 countries across six continents. This airline employs approximately 83,000 people and operates a fleet of approximately 877 aircraft.

3. United Airlines

United Airlines, the third largest airline operator in 2022, completed 127,516 flight services in June 2022. United Airlines is a major airline based in Chicago, Illinois. After a merger with Continental Airlines in 2010, it became the world’s third-largest airline in terms of route network and fleet size. The airline employs over 84,100 people across its operations, and the operator’s fleet consists of 839 aircraft flying to 342 destinations.

4. Southwest Airlines

Southwest Airlines will operate 113,876 flight services in June 2022. This is one of the largest airline operators in the United States and the world’s largest low-cost airline. It is ranked as the fourth largest airline in the world. The airline operates approximately 4,000 departures per day, supported by a 735-strong fleet. The company serves 121 destinations and employs approximately 55,100 people across its operations.