Lawmakers take aim at Frontier – Spirit Airlines merger
U.S. House and Senate members are again pushing the Biden administration to ‘carefully review’ Frontier Airlines’ planned merger with Spirit Airlines.
Senators Elizabeth Warren, Ben Ray Lujan and Bernie Sanders, along with Reps Rasshida Tlaib, Katie Porter, Jan Schakowsky and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez outlined various competition concerns to the U.S. Department of Justice and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.
The ultra-low-cost market is the one area of commercial aviation which still offers competition.
It could ‘monopolize the ULCC, segment of the industry,’ they say.
“A merger between the two would result in a company that is four times larger than the nearest ULCC competitor.”
Frontier plans to acquire Spirit in a $6.5 billion deal that would make it the fifth-largest airline.
They said it could also affect pay and conditions.
“Pilots, flight attendants, and other workers in the airline industry would lose an alternative employer, and Spirit-Frontier would face less competitive pressure to offer better compensation and labor conditions,” the lawmakers added.
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