Spirit Airlines said Tuesday it was in talks with JetBlue Airways about a $3.4 billion enhanced buyout offer and expects to decide on the proposal later this month.
The ultra-low-cost carrier has granted JetBlue access to due diligence information it is sharing with Frontier Group Holdings after failing to win sufficient shareholder support for its deal with the rival suitor, Reuters reported.
Either deal will create the fifth-largest U.S. airline, helping the buyer compete with large legacy carriers at a time when the industry faces labor and aircraft shortages.
→ JetBlue opens its first destination in Canada.
Spirit had rejected a proposed buyout of JetBlue last month, but later agreed to commit to it after the larger carrier increased the reverse breakup fee by $150 million to $350 million, payable to Spirit shareholders in the event the deal falls through on antitrust grounds.
Spirit, however, remains in talks with Frontier under the terms of an existing merger agreement.
The airline also said it was providing information requested by the U.S. Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission for both deals as part of an ongoing antitrust review process.
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