With the way Florida is growing and exploding in population (mostly people leaving the northeast), it is questionable if it is the best strategy to go all in on the NEA while losing FL to the coming “super” ULCC. The super ULCC will make it very difficult for them to compete. I’m sure they know this which is why the put the NK offer in.

However, it has become clear that they chose the northeast over potentially owning the FL market, opening up other opportunities, and eliminating competition with an acquisition of NK. They weren’t willing to budge at all on the NEA. So, instead, B6 will face fierce competition from the combined Frontier/Spirit, and continue to act as AA’s regional in the northeast.

Was this the right move? Is the NEA really that much better for growth than an acquisition of NK could have been?