Spirit Airlines

JetBlue Airways is making another move to try to save its proposed purchase of Spirit Airlines.

JetBlue was able to drive out rival bidder Frontier Airlines after a bidding war this year. Even with Spirit shareholders accepting the buyout, the deal could face a big challenge from federal antitrust regulators. Spirit, the country's biggest budget airline, is based in Miramar, in Broward.

JetBlue has agreed to buy Spirit Airlines in a $3.8 billion deal, a day after Spirit and Frontier Airlines agreed to abandon their merger proposal.

Spirit Airlines has ended its proposed merger with Frontier Airlines, clearing a path for JetBlue Airways to take over the South Florida-based discount carrier.

Spirit Airlines said Thursday it was again postponing a shareholder vote on a proposed merger with Frontier Airlines to continue talks with Frontier and rival bidder JetBlue Airways.

Spirit Airlines said Monday that it still supports Frontier Airlines’ $2.9 billion takeover bid for the airline, saying it was more likely to win regulatory approval than JetBlue’s competing $3.6 billion offer.

Spirit had already agreed to a proposed merger with Frontier Airlines, but JetBlue is offering more money.

Frontier Airlines and Spirit Airlines are proposing to combine in a $2.9 billion deal that would create a larger discount airline to compete against the nation’s dominant carriers and, they say, promote lower fares.

The Miramar-based airline made the statement in an “update” to investors that was filed late Monday with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The airline is expected to cancel about 50% of its flights nationwide from Friday and into next week, continuing a weeklong trend of mass cancellations, CEO Ted Christie told reporters.

The airlines cited weather and staffing challenges. The industry has had trouble meeting the demand as people are ready to travel again.