Sort of a surprise to me. With Republic having absolutely zero experience in operating an airline (Republic only does regional service and follows protocols of carriers they are contracted for), I do not by any means think that Frontier and its' employees have any greater chance of survival than they would have had they been acquired by Southwest Airlines. Nonetheless, I wish everyone luck at Republic and Frontier. I caution, however, that the status quo will not lead to prolonged success of Frontier Airlines. Change is necessary in order to grow, secure financing from creditors, and provide return to shareholders. Rest assured, changes will still happen even under Republic's rule.
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I'm not a fan of blogs but I figured I'd throw my two-cents into this discussion. Whatever the reasoning behind SWA acquiring Frontier- whether it be because we cannot compete, or because we are just 'buying out' the competition, or simply to grow - it's a move that has undoubtedly been heavily studied by the SWA [financial] team and one the Company feels will benefit us financially in the long term. Folks, it doesn't take an MBA to recognize that the way the airline industry as a whole operates remains downright criminal in many ways. However, an airline is just like any other business. Business come and go. This industry has notoriously been plagued with instability and more than likely it always will be. No business is eternal without constantly changing to meet the demands of profitability. The larger a company, the more parties you have to satisfy (investors, employees, government, etc) in order to grow and provide financial returns to these organizations/groups. The status quo does not work for extended periods of time as change becomes a necessary measure in order to survive. From a personal and psychological perspective, it's always best to at least try to accept change as a positive even when one does not necessarily see the 'bigger picture' at a particular moment in time. If you are a Frontier employee and approach this entire business transaction with negativity, hate, etc., then rest assured you're probably contributing to your own demise in this industry. I truly admire the individuals who are willing to look outside his/her comfort zone to embrace the future - even if it is not meant to continue in the airline industry. I recognize how Culture plays an integral part in developing a stronger, more unified workforce. Culture, however, cannot lure investors who have the necessary capital any company needs to either start or maintain operations. Ultimately, it's all about financial returns. In closing, we should all try to make the very best out of any circumstance life throws our way. This isn't about who is better or worse, nicer or meaner, classier versus trashier, etc.; it's a financial transaction that Frontier executives, Frontier investors (Republic, Airbus, many others I'm sure), and the courts will ultimately decide upon in order to best satisfy outstanding financial obligations.
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