Frontier Airlines ready to ape Spirit Airlines model

Frontier Airlines recently indicated it wanted to fashion itself on the lines of low-cost carrier Spirit Airlines.

The parent company of the airline Republic Airways Holdings Inc. has said that it wants to make the loss-making Frontier Airlines unit similar to its lower-cost rivals Spirit Airlines and Allegiant Air.

Bryan Bedford, Chairman and CEO of Republic Airways Holdings, said that there will be continued efforts towards Frontier Airlines’ cost cutting to offset growing losses even as the carrier gets ready to be spun-off or sold. However, he said that charging lots of new fees like rivals have done recently is certainly a bad idea, and he is not ready for that.

Frontier Airlines has made extensive efforts in cutting about $120 million in annual costs through more efficient schedules, cutting flights and rejiggering its fleet. Earlier, its parent company had announced plans to sell it or spin it off in November last year.