Airline cuts may allow Southwest to cut in

DENVER, June 26 (UPI) -- Frontier Airlines intends to cut 17 percent of its flight schedule and trim jobs in proportion to the reduction, the airline said.

The cuts may mean the elimination of 1,000 jobs, The Denver Post reported Thursday.

"It's both the bankruptcy case and having to respond to present industry conditions," Robert Mann, an industry consultant told the Post. The move could also leave an opening for profitable Southwest Airlines to expand further in the Denver area, analysts said.

Southwest, which has expanded its flights from Denver International Airport this year, "smells blood in the water," aviation consultant Mike Boyd told the Post.