United Airlines on Thursday rushed to cash in on rival Spirit Airlines’ financial troubles, beefing up its footprint in the bankrupt discount carrier’s main markets, including Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, and Las Vegas, as Frontier Group announced new routes to Latin America and the Caribbean.
Florida-based Spirit Airlines, which filed for its second bankruptcy protection last week, has been shrinking its operations and retreating from a number of markets, which has opened up an opportunity for rivals.
The company said it has discontinued service to 11 US cities, including Portland, Oregon, and San Diego, and no longer plans to launch service to Macon, Georgia, which was scheduled to start in mid-October.
United said it will fly larger aircraft between Chicago and New York LaGuardia to