Wanna get away, Denver? Southwest makes bid to buy Frontier Airlines

A court had already approved the sale of Frontier Airlines Holdings Inc. to the parent of Republic Airways for $108.8 million, but that deal can be nixed if a better offer comes along.

Dallas-based Southwest said it submitted a nonbinding bid of $113.6 million. Southwest hopes that making the bid will allow it to talk with Frontier and get information to help shape its final proposal.

Southwest said it faces an Aug. 10 deadline for submitting a binding bid. If there is more than one qualified bidder, an auction will be held the following day.

The good thing about the Southwest is their seating rules, which allow you to put a magazine on the seat next to you until you see someone cute coming up the aisle, at which point you move the magazine and hope they sit there so you don't have endure someone fat and annoying. The bad news is their flight attendants are always trying to be funny right when the Xanax is kicking in. But overall, with their low prices and bevvy of western routes, they seem like as good an airline as any to take over at DIA.