Alaska airlines jetblue merger. Thus southwest will merge or acquire another carrier in order to stem the flow to its competition. Aviation consultant bob mann said the future of a jetbluealaska merger may be related to alaskas decision on what to do with virgins airbus fleet which currently contains 60 airbus a320 family. But thats because the scale of both airlines was small.
With a complementary narrowbody feet alaska airlines and jetblue are best positioned to absorb or be absorbed by southwest. And alaska air. Are taking off amid speculation that the carrier backed by celebrity entrepreneur richard branson has received takeover bids from jetblue airways corp.
Problematically for southwest the eventual re certification of the 737 max may not re balance the current trajectory. Jetblue which unsuccessfully sought the hand of virgin america in the bidding war with alaska just amped up the competition for premium customers on transcontinental routes announcing yet. Shares of virgin america inc.
As a merger partner jetblue which has a 5 market share could look very appealing. However the merger of alaska airlines and virgin america resulted in quick doj approval. In some ways mann said a merger between alaska and jetblue would reflect the 2005 merger between us airways and america west which was called project barbell because it combined two high presences at opposite ends of the country.