Flight attendants’ union backs Spirit-Frontier merger, clearing exertions hurdle

A Frontier Airways aircraft taxis previous a Spirit Airways plane at Indianapolis World Airport in Indianapolis, Indiana, on Monday, Feb. 7, 2022.

Luke Sharrett | Bloomberg | Getty Photographs

The union that represents flight attendants at Spirit Airways and Frontier Airways on Tuesday subsidized the carriers’ deliberate merger, clearing a exertions hurdle some of the largest employee teams on the airways.

The Affiliation of Flight Attendants-CWA mentioned it reached a so-called “merger transition settlement” with Frontier’s mother or father that prohibits flight attendant furloughs all over the merger, along with making certain different protections.

“We beef up the vital regulatory approvals that can fortify festival, building up client choices and enjoy, and take care of and develop excellent union jobs,” Sara Nelson, AFA’s president mentioned in a union announcement.

The settlement comes an afternoon after JetBlue Airlines introduced a adverse takeover bid for Spirit. Spirit Airways rejected JetBlue’s $33 consistent with proportion, all-cash bid previous this month. JetBlue on Monday made a young be offering of $30 a proportion and steered Spirit shareholders to vote towards the Frontier-Spirit tie-up at a June 10 assembly.

JetBlue’s flight attendants are represented by means of the Shipping Staff Union. Its president, John Samuelsen, informed CNBC closing month that TWU would search to constitute a mixed JetBlue-Spirit flight attendant staff if that deal passed off.

Both airline aggregate can be matter to Justice Division approval.