Republic Airways announces details of brand unification plan for Frontier and Midwest Airlines
13-Apr-2010 Republic Airways Holdings (NASDAQ: RJET) today announced another important step in the harmonization and ultimate integration of its branded operations, with the selection of the Frontier Airlines name for its consolidated branded network.
The retention of the Frontier Airlines name includes its iconic animal trademarks that have garnered more than 80 awards for groundbreaking communications and advertising and will now be leveraged across an even larger customer base.
"Combining two customer-focused, highly complementary brands is a singular opportunity to improve efficiencies throughout our Company while offering more value to our customers"
The decision was announced after analyzing extensive data from customers and employees that underscored the importance of maintaining the best practices of both brands and will also help determine additional enhancements as the two networks transition to one consistent brand.
"Combining two customer-focused, highly complementary brands is a singular opportunity to improve efficiencies throughout our Company while offering more value to our customers," said Bryan Bedford, chairman, president and CEO of Republic Airways. "During our dialogue with our stakeholders, we were grateful for the passionate input we received throughout the process. We will continue to draw upon it as we preserve and enhance the brand promise so valued by the passengers and communities served by Frontier and Midwest."
"We are expanding in both service and employment at our Denver and Milwaukee hubs," Bedford continued. "We are launching 10 new destinations in Denver and five in Milwaukee this year, and will add to our employment bases of 1,200 in Milwaukee and 4,100 in Denver."
"Although both brands have built strong affinities with air travelers, our customer research concluded that Frontier is the brand best positioned to meet the needs of today's consumers with its affordable-fares brand promise," said Ian Arthur, Republic's vice president of Marketing and Branding. "With an expanded network and an even stronger Frontier brand, we are confident we can meet and exceed the needs of even more consumers."
Republic expects the integration process to take 12-18 months. In addition to brand consolidation, the process will focus on developing and implementing attributes that will set Frontier Airlines apart in the industry.