The impact of the JetBlue, Spirit merger at the Arnold Palmer Regional Airport
LATROBE, Pa. (KDKA) — JetBlue is buying Spirit Airlines for $3.8 billion, creating the nation's fifth-largest airline.
The agreement, announced Thursday, comes a day after Spirit's attempt to merge with Frontier Airlines fell apart. Spirit Airlines flies exclusively out of Arnold Palmer Regional Airport in Latrobe.
If approved by regulators, JetBlue would have a total fleet of 458 Airbus aircraft, some of which would be in and out of Arnold Palmer Regional Airport if JetBlue continues to fly out of the Westmorland County facility.
Airport officials said given the number of passengers that fly out of Arnold Palmer Regional Airport yearly, the possibility of JetBlue pulling up stakes is highly unlikely.
"JetBlue has some different routes than Spirit and they have some of the same," Westmoreland County Airport Executive Director Gabe Monzo said. "If we can enhance what we have and add a couple more, we're in the driver's seat."
Passengers KDKA-TV spoke to on Thursday said as long as the airport doesn't get too big, that's fine by them. Brenda McCullough of Washington County said she welcomes any new potential travel.
"We go to Myrtle Beach," McCullough said. "We've gone there for years and years and years. Who knows, we might want to go somewhere else sometime."
It's important to note this deal needs approval by federal regulators and it's expected to undergo significant scrutiny.
