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Frontier Confirms That Southwest Airlines Developing a Bid for the Airline

Dépèche transmise le 30 juillet 2009 par Business Wire

Frontier Confirms That Southwest Airlines Developing a Bid for the Airline

DENVER--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Frontier Airlines Holdings, Inc. (OTCBB: FRNTQ) today announced that Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) has submitted an initial non-binding proposal to acquire Frontier under the auction procedures established in Frontier’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy cases and approved by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court.

As previously announced, on July 13 the judge presiding over Frontier’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy cases in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York approved a proposed investment agreement between Frontier and Republic Airways Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: RJET). Pursuant to the investment agreement, Republic agreed to purchase 100% of the stock of Frontier Holdings upon its emergence from bankruptcy for $108.75 million, so long as certain conditions are met. Frontier Airlines Holdings would become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Republic, an airline holding company that owns Chautauqua Airlines, Republic Airlines and Shuttle America.

The Republic investment agreement provides for an auction period, during which Frontier may seek higher or otherwise better competing bids. If Frontier identifies such a bid, it can terminate the Republic investment agreement and accept the other offer. Under the auction procedures approved by the Court, interested bidders must submit an initial proposal by Aug. 3, 2009, and a final proposal by Aug. 10, 2009. Frontier and its advisors, in consultation with the Unsecured Creditors’ Committee appointed in Frontier’s Chapter 11 cases, will conduct an auction, if necessary, on Aug. 11, 2009, to consider all qualified proposals and determine the highest or otherwise best proposal.

Frontier currently expects to emerge from Chapter 11 this autumn.

Frontier and its subsidiaries filed voluntary petitions for reorganization under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code on April 10, 2008. More information about Frontier’s Chapter 11 proceedings is available at FrontierAirlines.com/restructure. Court filings and claims information are available at frontier-restructuring.com. Frontier’s principal restructuring counsel is Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP.

About Frontier Airlines Holdings, Inc.

Frontier Airlines Holdings, Inc. is the parent company of Denver-based Frontier Airlines. Currently in its 16th year of operations, Frontier Airlines is the second-largest jet service carrier at Denver International Airport, employing approximately 5,000 aviation professionals. Frontier Airlines' mainline operation has 51 aircraft with one of the youngest Airbus fleets in North America. Frontier Airlines' mainline operations offer 24 channels of DIRECTV® service in every seatback along with a comfortable all-coach configuration. In conjunction with a fleet of ten Bombardier Q400 aircraft operated by Lynx Aviation (a subsidiary of Frontier Airlines Holdings, Inc.), Frontier offers routes to more than 50 destinations in the U.S., Mexico and Costa Rica. Starting later this year, Frontier will further expand the destination options available to its customers with a new codeshare agreement with Midwest Airlines. For more in-depth information on Frontier Airlines, please visit its Web site at FrontierAirlines.com.

Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995:

Statements contained in this press release that are not historical facts may be forward-looking statements as that item is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could result in actual results differing materially from expected results and represent the Company's expectations and beliefs concerning future events based on information available to the Company as of the date of this press release. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this press release. Additional information regarding risk factors that may affect future performance at the Company are contained in the Company's SEC filings, including without limitation, the Company's Form 10-K for its fiscal year ended March 31, 2009.