Yes, F9 is in Chapter 11 but it isn't because of bad management. At least not the present management. Sean Menke took this airline over almost 2 years ago from a CEO that probably spent too much money on some business ventures that cost more than benefited the Company. However, they still had a relatively strong bottom line. In the meantime SWA entered DEN and priced their fares so ridiculously low that they were losing their shirt in DEN just to try to kill F9 and UAL. Then came the speculative oil prices that gave SWA another huge advantage with their hedged fuel costs. Smart bet on SWA but SWA showed their true colors and kept the bottom basement non-profitable fares going. Even with that, SWA load factors were poor since F9 had a better product . Frontier also had to match the predatory SWA fares even with the high fuel prices that SWA wasn't paying and it did hurt F9. Through all that, Frontier survived and even was profitable over the last eight months. So now, SWA, you are just coming in like the big dumb bully with your cocky and smug attitude and squashing your prey with your big wad of money since you couldn't do it airline against airline.
Good for you for being so strong financially but that does not make for a better airline than Frontier. I've read some of the posts here and it sickens me to see the ignorant comments from some of the SWA employees. Try walking a mile in a F9 employees shoes for a second and feel their pain from working so hard to make that airline really work under such adverse conditions over the last 18 months. They should be commended and I truly hope there is a knight in shining armor that comes to their rescue from the jaws of SWA.
So, if you win, enjoy your feast SWA. I for one will NEVER fly SWA and I can guarantee you that regardless of price. I see posts here talking about the great corporate culture at SWA. I can tell you that F9 also has a great corporate culture without the smugness. The team at F9 runs a great airline and if you don't believe that, EDUCATE YOURSELF by looking at their stats. They might be in Chapter 11 but that is not indicative of how good of an airline they are and anyone that assumes that they are less than excellent is a moron.
I think you all will have some major PR issues with killing Frontier. Enjoy that!
Don't kill the animals!
... View more