The impending loss of Spirit Airlines as South Florida’s hometown air carrier could have a number of ramifications, ranging from hits on local employment and facilities to spikes in the prices leisure travelers pay to visit the region.
This week, the Miramar, Florida-based carrier received an unsolicited $3.6 billion buyout offer from JetBlue Airways, which said it would integrate Spirit’s fleet, employees and route network into its own operation. The offer poses a difficult choice for Spirit’s board of directors, which now faces the task of choosing between JetBlue’s offer and an earlier bid from discounter Frontier Airlines of Denver, which wants to bring Spirit into its fold through a $2.9 billion deal.
While the Spirit board had yet to decide whether to stick with Frontier or opt for JetBlue’s offer, here is what might be in store for workers, South Florida facilities and customers:
