Would you be comfortable booking flights on Frontier? (Denver: home, bankrupt)

[cowboyxjon]

I'm a bit disappointed by this news as well. I don't hate Southwest, but I like Frontier so much more.

[ColoWeb]

The way things are headed now, sadly, Frontier is history. Right now SW is the highest bidder. Even if republic airlines increases their bids, both of them will squash Frontier.

[Calix]

I am very sad to see that Southwest might win in its bid for Frontier. Frontier is in my opinion the best of the discount air carriers and is a wonderful asset to Denver. Their home base is here, the bulk of their staff is here and they definitely have a Colorado feel about them.

Southwest only fly's 737's and will ax the Frontier fleet which also provides more space. Goodbye DTV, assigned seats, friendly staff, and Colorado regional jet/prop service. Southwest (which is texas based) really only wants Frontier to bulk their fight against UA (and UA business passengers by and large don't care about Southwest, only low dollar budget travellers) and they want their key routes to NY (LGA) and to DC (DCA).

I feel sorry for the city as I have flown frontier a number of times from SNA and would take them any second of the day over southworst. I guess my options are UA now as flying bovine Boieng is not a civilized way to travel.

Farewell Frontier, I hope that you do not leave us, if so, hopefully UA can pick up the mountain routes if they are axed under the less desirable Southwest flag.

[treedonkey]

Originally Posted by BarryK123

I believe they are in Ch 11. Would you be concerned booking flights with them at this time?

They've been in Ch 11 for well over a year now and I've flown with them several times since them -- still the best in and of Denver from/to the west.

I really hope that Southwest does not take them over, or, at least if they do, that they will just operate them with the Frontier name and service intact. Flying SW is like taking greyhound, especially when people start pushing and shoving for a seat. I'd rather pay more and fly on any other airline.

[EscapeCalifornia]

Originally Posted by treedonkey

Flying SW is like taking greyhound, especially when people start pushing and shoving for a seat. I'd rather pay more and fly on any other airline.

I don't find SWA particularly cheap anyway, at least not how I fly. They do have some great specials but I don't just decide to go somewhere I don't care to go, 7 months from now, just because they're running tickets for $29.

[Legs1357]

It just dawned on me some of the unintended consequences of this essential take-over (these are just hypothetical questions at this point):
1. Will they keep many of Frontier's current routes? (i.e. if i can't fly direct out of washington national to DIA i'm going to be beyond pissed)
2. Will they honor Frontier's miles? Again, I'd be really pissed if I lost the free roundtrip ticket I'll be eligible for in a few weeks.
And I still don't understand why they would scrap Frontier's fleet...it's not like they'd be putting in money to buy them. It just seems so...stupid.

[EscapeCalifornia]

Originally Posted by Legs1357

And I still don't understand why they would scrap Frontier's fleet...it's not like they'd be putting in money to buy them. It just seems so...stupid.

I believe most airlines lease their aircraft so it would be matter or letting the leases on the Airbuses expire or buying them out. I don't know how many of Frontier's Airbus drivers are certified on the 737 and how long it would take to get everyone certified. There would probably be a phase in period as pilots get qualified, more 737s are brought into the fleet, and Airbuses are disposed of. Having a homogeneous fleet is part of SWA's formula to keeping costs down and efficiency up.

[Legs1357]

Originally Posted by EscapeCalifornia

I believe most airlines lease their aircraft so it would be matter or letting the leases on the Airbuses expire or buying them out. I don't know how many of Frontier's Airbus drivers are certified on the 737 and how long it would take to get everyone certified. There would probably be a phase in period as pilots get qualified, more 737s are brought into the fleet, and Airbuses are disposed of. Having a homogeneous fleet is part of SWA's formula to keeping costs down and efficiency up.

Touche on my lack of information lol
Well either way, having crappier planes isn't any more of an incentive for me to fly with them.

[whirnot]

I fly Frontier a LOT. I have been a Summit, or at least Ascent level for 6 years. Although I don't mind Southwest, it doesn't hold a candle to Frontier. But I hve read that if they take over Southest will dump the Airbuses and that will be a bummer. Better get those free tickets booked!

[jazzlover]

People still don't see the bigger picture. The airlines are engaging in a death-spiral game of "last man standing." One sure sign of an industry in decline is predatory competition over a shrinking customer base. Frontier may wind up being one of those carriers "eaten" during the carnage, but it won't be the biggest, and it sure won't be the last.

Fact is, in pretty short order, air travel for any American other than the wealthy--for any other purpose than an absolute necessity or emergency--is going to be a thing of the past. As soon as oil resumes it march toward $100-$200 per barrel (or more, maybe way more), most of middle and lower-class America is going to be done flying. The few scraps of business will be left to a small handful of carriers flying very limited routes to fight over. People will look at the nearly empty caverns of DIA and ask, "What the hell were they thinking when they built this?"--and those folks will still be paying the taxes to pay off the bonds on that monstrosity while they ask the question.

As I have said many times before, we need to get working on rebuilding America's passenger train network because--for short and medium-haul passenger transport--it is going to be America's only affordable mode of transportation for anyone other than the very wealthy--and that is coming sooner than most people even dare think.

I don't know which airline or couple of airlines may survive what lies ahead, but for most Americans it won't matter--they won't be able to afford to fly anymore, anyway.