JetBlue attempts hostile takeover of Spirit Airlines

JetBlue plane
(Image credit: Vincenzo Pace/iStock)

JetBlue, the seventh-largest airline in the United States by fleet size, launched a hostile takeover bid for Spirit Airlines — the country's eighth-largest airline — on Monday, two weeks after Spirit rejected an offer from JetBlue.

On March 29, JetBlue CEO Robin Hayes sent a letter to Spirit suggesting that "the combination of our two companies would create a leading player best positioned to serve our customers by offering increased flight schedules and more competitive fares," according to CNBC. A formal offer of $33 per share followed. The offer also included a reverse break-up fee of $200 million — or $1.80 per share — if regulators blocked the deal.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up
Grayson Quay

Grayson Quay was the weekend editor at TheWeek.com. His writing has also been published in National Review, the Pittsburgh Post-GazetteModern AgeThe American ConservativeThe Spectator World, and other outlets. Grayson earned his M.A. from Georgetown University in 2019.