KEY TAKEAWAYS: Frontier Airlines will add new nonstop flights from New Orleans to Denver and Philadelphia beginning in July. Daily Dallas-Fort Worth service will replace the current four-times-weekly schedule. Spirit Airlines ceased operations May 2 after financial struggles and failed rescue efforts. Frontier is offering low fares and promotional discounts to attract displaced Spirit passengers.   Starting in July, Frontier Airlines will expand service out of Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport as the Denver-based low-cost carrier positions itself to capture some of Spirit Airlines’ former customer base after Spirit ceased operations on May 2. Frontier will increase its New Orleans service with new nonstop flights to Denver four times a week and to Philadelphia three times a week. The airline will also expand its Dallas-Fort Worth service from four times a week to daily. Existing daily service to Atlanta and Orlando will continue, while twice-weekly service to Las Vegas is scheduled to begin in September. Frontier’s low-fare calendar, beginning in July, shows one-way basic fares from New Orleans starting as low as $39 to Atlanta, $50 to Dallas and $89 to Orlando, with higher entry-level fares shown for Denver ($139), Philadelphia ($116) and Las Vegas ($170 – beginning in September). Fares and frequencies are subject to change. Nationwide, Frontier serves more than 100 routes previously flown by Spirit and has rolled out rescue fares and discount-club promotions aimed at travelers forced to rebook after the shutdown. For example, Frontier said customers can receive up to 50% off base fares on certain bookings made for a limited time using a promotional code, while new customers can also join the airline’s Discount Den low-fare club without the usual enrollment fee for a limited time. “We recognize the challenges consumers are currently facing as they navigate the cancellation of their planned travel, and we are pleased to offer affordable alternatives and valuable loyalty rewards as they replan with Frontier,” Frontier Chief Commercial Officer Bobby Schroeter said in a May 7 press release. Spirit ceased operations on May 2 after Reuters reported that creditors failed to support a proposed government rescue package, with surging jet-fuel prices worsening the airline’s financial strain. No U.S. carrier of Spirit’s size – it accounted for 5% of U.S. flights at one point – had liquidated in two decades. The collapse shows how the Iran war’s fuel-price shock has exposed weaker airlines. Spirit’s fuel prices had climbed to around $4.51 a gallon by the end of April as jet fuel accounted for about a quarter of airlines’ operating expenses. After Spirit’s announcement, major U.S. carriers rolled out rescue-fare options for affected passengers. Frontier announced systemwide discounts and plans to add summer routes, JetBlue offered $99 fares through Wednesday, Southwest introduced special fares, United capped prices on one-way tickets and American added rescue fares while reviewing options to boost capacity on key routes. ...read more read less