Midwest Airlines will disappear into the Frontier brand

By Joe Brancatelli

AirplaneStock1 Remember when a previously little-known regional carrier called Republic last year snapped up two bankrupt companies, Denver-based Frontier Airlines and Milwaukee-based Midwest Airlines? And remember savvy observers suggesting that it would be insane for a holding company to operate a two-class airline like Midwest alongside an all-coach carrier like Frontier? The inevitable will now happen: Republic has announced that the Midwest name will be dropped and all service will be flown under the Frontier brand.

The process will take up to 18 months and apparently retain just one of Midwest’s in-flight service standards: the chocolate-chip cookies. Midwest in May will add flights to Columbus and New Orleans from its small Kansas City hub. And Frontier is adding flights from Denver to seven cities: Branson, Missouri; Grand Rapids, Michigan; Green Bay and Madison, Wisconsin; Long Beach and Santa Barbara, California; and Newport News, Virginia. Thenew service will be phased in by June.

The added cities have one thing in common: None have flights from Denver by Southwest Airlines, which is shaping up as a major competitor to Frontier in the Mile High market.

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