Originally Posted by Name User

I have no dog in JB's fight but from an outsider it looks super sus that both you and Spirit posted losses. By sus I mean by design. They are teeing up the merger and showing how they are unable to compete. I'm sure this started a few quarters ago, with planning on how to push the "woe is me" agenda.

IOW, I personally wouldn't worry about this. I'm hopeful the Spirit merge goes through and one more competitor goes away, lifting all boats.

Originally Posted by Bluedriver

The "tone and demeanor" was referring to primarily the nature of questions asked by the analysts, but the question itself was placed to get you to admit you hadn't listened to the call. So you are not a JB pilot, not a Spirit pilot, and haven't listened to the investor calls where they talk about the nature of issues facing the airline. In other words, you know a lot less about JB and it's challenges than you think you do, yet here you are being an expert on what will and will not work.

JB was largely profitable before COVID, and even to this day has a cash to debt ratio near the top third of the industry. Many of the issues it is currently facing are temporary in nature, meaning less than a couple of years to work through, at which time it would as a stand alone business be profitable, yet possibly not wildly so. As it is, with no mergers, JB has reached nearly 300 mainline aircraft, and will be returning to profitability. That's no failure... Tell me where each of the big 4 would be without their previous numerous mergers, each?

As far as Spirit being a boat anchor, we aren't acquiring them for their business model or customers. It is an asset purchase, both their existing assets (planes, crews, training facilities, gates) and their future assets. Spirit has a very large and desirable (after the Pratt issues are worked through) order book of A320/321 NEOs with near and medium term deliveries, and most importantly those orders were placed with very low contractual acquisition costs, because the orders were placed well before the current environment of inflation and aircraft scarcity. JB gets a great order book of jets at great prices, as well as gates, bases and crews spread out around the country. They will get a very significant hub in FLL where they will have more market share than they have ever had at any of their hubs. And again JB does not need Spirits existing customer base, it's just not who they target generally.

JB will nearly double in size within a few years of the transaction, and will be approaching half the size of its larger peers, especially in the markets that matter. They are also successfully and more aggressively rolling out a transatlantic network, which should eventually lead to other parts of the world. But yeah, 23 years to nearly 300 jets, a lot of unobtainium slots/gates, a cash to debt ratio in the top third of the industry and a so-far successful transatlantic rollout is a failure because they haven't reached sustained profitablity yet post COVID, no matter the reasons.

All we can do is sit back and watch this all play out. You've made your predictions, I've given a glimpse of mine. I guess we just wait and see what happens, but if you think your airline will be buying JB assets from a BK court I think you'll be very disappointed.
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Originally Posted by GPullR

Showig your ignorance.
Don't have to be a jb pilot to follow a company. Really dumb statement. Don't have to listen to sales job by management. Been around long enough to see this over and over. Have many many friends that work there. Hear all the inside stuff. If you can't see that management is your demise then I can't help you.

Originally Posted by Bluediver

Did anyone ask for your help?

Originally Posted by Flyhayes

this also doesn't include the cost opportunity of instantly getting the pilots and training center.

Originally Posted by Flyby1206

No, JB has been pretty open about needing planes/pilots so they can expand. Sure some of that expansion will probably be west of BUF, but NK doesn't hold some sacred route authority or valuable slot portfolio out west. JB isn't interested in the NK customer base, brand, or business model.

Originally Posted by Noisecanceller

Yep. Planes, real estate, and people. None of that has changed. If JB backs out they risk spirit finding another partner, restructuring and going it alone, or getting chopped into pieces of which JB may only be able to buy a fraction of what they want with the balance being split among other carriers.

If the DOJ wins both Spirit and JB are in very dire straits. Spirit more so than JB though. Needless to say I’m updating my logbook when I thought I’d be retiring from this airline. The next 2 months will be a big turning point.

The DOJ needs to take their ball and go home and just leave us alone.

Originally Posted by GPullR

Showig your ignorance.
Don't have to be a jb pilot to follow a company. Really dumb statement. Don't have to listen to sales job by management. Been around long enough to see this over and over. Have many many friends that work there. Hear all the inside stuff. If you can't see that management is your demise then I can't help you.