LINDA WERTHEIMER, host: NPR's business news starts with an airline merger.</s>LINDA WERTHEIMER, host: The bankrupt Frontier Airlines has been a hot property. Republic Airways and Southwest were in a bidding war for the discount carrier and yesterday Republic Airways clinched the deal. Southwest had offered a much higher bid, but its pilots couldn't come to a labor agreement with the Frontier pilots. Republic, which is actually an airline-holding company that operates several regional airlines says it will pay about $109 million for Frontier's stock.
Republic Airways clinched the deal Thursday to buy bankrupt carrier Frontier Airlines, winning a bidding war with Southwest for the discount carrier. Republic, an airline holding company that operates several regional airlines, says it will pay about $109 million for 100 percent of Frontier's stock.