Would the White House Allow the Frontier-Spirit Merger?

(Reuters) - Budget carriers Frontier Group Holdings and Spirit Airlines Inc. on Monday unveiled plans to create the fifth-largest U.S. airline in a $2.9 billion tie-up likely to tighten competition against traditional carriers.

The proposal to form a new no-frills carrier controlled by Frontier Airlines pushed up shares of Spirit as much as 18.7%, though several analysts pressed the airlines over possible difficulties in obtaining regulatory approval.

The move comes at a time when the U.S. airline industry is grappling with volatility in travel demand due to new COVID-19 variants. At the same time, costs are soaring on a combination of rises in wages, fuel prices and airport charges.

Spirit's wage expense as a percentage of revenue shot up by more than 10 points last year versus 2019. Higher fees prompted Frontier to exit airports such as Los Angeles and San Jose in California, and stop serving Washington-Dulles and Newark.

The merger, which is expected to close in the second half of 2022, is projected to result in synergies of $500 million a year, mainly through operational savings.

The companies pledged to avoid any job losses and add 10,000 direct jobs by 2026. They also promised the merger would deliver $1 billion in annual consumer savings and offer more than 1,000 daily flights to over 145 destinations.

Peter McNally, global sector lead for industrials, materials and energy at research firm Third Bridge, said cost pressure is the biggest threat to recovery in the airline industry's profit. The merged company would be in an "excellent" position to combat rising operating costs, McNally said.

But some analysts warned the deal could face opposition from the White House as U.S. President Joe Biden's administration takes a tough stance on big corporate mergers.