Copyright Photo: Gerd Beilfuss. Please click on photo for full view, information and other photos.
British Airways (London) tomorrow (September 29) will launch new Airbus A318 business class service (with 32 seats) from downtown City Airport in London to New York (JFK) via Shannon. Passengers will clear U.S. Customs at Shannon while the airliner is being refueled.
News link:
www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/sep/28/ba-business-class-new-york
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Frontier Airlines’ (2nd) (Denver) creditors approved by a large margin the plan of reorganization. Frontier now becomes a wholly-owned subsidiary of Republic Airways Holdings and will exit Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
Press release:
finance.yahoo.com/news/Frontier-Airlines-Plan-of-bw-1744944520.html?x=0&.v=1
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Frontier Airlines (2nd) (Denver) has announced that it has selected the $108.75 million Republic Airways auction bid over the larger $170+ million Southwest Airlines bid. The differences were labor issues and Republic also agreed to waive the $150 million claim it has against Republic in the bankruptcy court. Republic has previously stated it would retain Frontier’s unique brand while Southwest planned to eventually merge the two airlines and replace the Airbus fleet with Boeing 737s.
Press release:
finance.yahoo.com/news/Frontier-Announces-Republic-bw-2193486258.html?x=0&.v=1
Meanwhile Southwest pledged to remain in the Denver market (and will probably now add more routes). Southwest also was unwilling to proceed without a labor agreement between its SWAPA pilots union and Frontier’s FAPA pilots union. The two unions were unable to reach a tentative agreement before the August 13 auction.
Press release:
finance.yahoo.com/news/Southwest-Airlines-Bid-to-prnews-3732211443.html?x=0&.v=1
Please click on photo for full view, information and other Frontier photos.
Republic Airways Holdings (Indianapolis) has agreed to be the equity sponsor of Frontier Airlines’ (2nd) (Denver) plan of reorganization. The plan, which is subject to bankruptcy court approval and various conditions, would allow Republic to purchase 100 percent of the equity in the reorganized company for $108.75 million. If approved and completed, the plan will result in Frontier’s successful exit from Chapter 11, at which point it would become a wholly owned subsidiary of Republic Airways, along with Chautauqua Airlines, Republic Airlines and Shuttle America. The acquisition also includes Frontier’s Lynx Aviation subsidiary.
This announcement raises several possible scenarios if this acquisition is approved by the bankruptcy court.
1. Lynx Aviation is likely to be merged into Colgan Air (2nd).
2. Republic Airlines’ (2nd) Embraer ERJ 170s are likely to return to the Denver hub (and possibly other regional aircraft operated by Chautauqua Airlines).
3. A possible merger between Frontier Airlines and Midwest Airlines (which Republic has an interest).
One thing is guaranteed, there will be changes in Denver.