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Frontier looking to align more closely with other airlines

Chris Walsh, Rocky Mountain News

Published October 26, 2007 at midnight

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Cementing partnerships with other carriers and strengthening current alliances will be increasingly important for Frontier Airlines going forward, the company’s new chief executive officer said this morning.

The Denver-based carrier also said today that it hopes to offer in-flight text and e-mail services sometime in the second half of next year.

During a conference call with analysts, Frontier CEO Sean Menke said linking up with airlines on marketing and possibly code-share relationships could help the carrier grow outside its Denver hub.

"I think as we look into the future our ability to create partnerships...is important," said Menke, who took the helm of Frontier last month.

But he also indicated that Frontier isn’t necessarily interested in merging with or acquiring another airline, reaffirming a position the company has long held. Some observers have speculated that Frontier might have to merge with another airline to stay afloat in the future, particularly if the industry consolidates.

"I’m not sure if that’s the right thing to do," Menke said.

Denver-based Frontier currently has a marketing partnership with AirTran in which passengers can earn and redeem frequent flier miles on both airlines. Executives from both sides have said they are discussing whether to expand that partnership.