Spirit Airlines says shareholders unlikely to vote against Frontier deal By Reuters

© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: A logo of low cost carrier Spirit Airlines is pictured on an Airbus plane in Colomiers near Toulouse, France, November 6, 2018. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau

CHICAGO (Reuters) -Spirit Airlines Chief Executive Ted Christie said on Monday it is unlikely shareholders would vote against its proposed merger with Frontier Group Holdings Inc.

The Florida-based ultra-low-cost carrier is facing a hostile takeover bid by JetBlue Airlines. The company has urged its shareholders to reject JetBlue’s offer and back its deal with Frontier.

Spirit will hold a shareholder meeting on June 10 to vote on the transaction with Frontier.

“The vote that we will be soliciting from our shareholders on the 10th is a vote for the Frontier merger,” Christie said on an analyst call.

He, however, said Spirit intended to remain a stand-alone entity if shareholders rejected the deal.