Frontier Airlines will close its reservation center in Las Cruces, N.M., by the end of this year, the Denver-based carrier announced Monday.
The 118 current Las Cruces employees will be able to transfer to open jobs elsewhere within Frontier. The airline also operates a reservation center in Denver that employs about 120 people.
Moving assistance will be available to those who relocate. Employees who choose not to move will be eligible for severance pay if they have worked for Frontier for at least a year.Frontier spokesman Steve Snyder said two weeks of severance will be paid for a year’s employment, with a week of severance for each additional year.
“This move will eliminate a duplication that exists with our Midwest Airlines partnership,” said Chris Collins, Frontier’s chief operating officer. “We understand the difficult nature of this decision and its impact on our employees. We need our people, and we will do what we can to make the transition as easy for them as possible.”
Frontier will emerge from bankruptcy Thursday as a subsidiary of Republic Airways Holdings. Midwest Airlines also is a Republic subsidiary.
Republic and Frontier officials are discussing where up to 750 reservation agents, mechanics and other employees will be located.
Competing for the jobs are Denver; Milwaukee, where Midwest is based; and Indianapolis, which is Republic’s headquarters.
Ann Schrader: 303-954-1967 or aschrader@denverpost.com
