Spirit Airways‘ board on Thursday urged its shareholders to reject JetBlue Airways‘ hostile takeover endeavor, citing regulatory hurdles and accusing the airline of seeking to derail its planned merger with fellow discount carrier Frontier Airways.

“Spirit believes JetBlue’s proposals and offer are a cynical endeavor to disrupt Spirit’s merger with Frontier, which JetBlue views as a competitive risk,” Spirit said in a assertion.

JetBlue released its hostile takeover bid on Monday immediately after Spirit previously this thirty day period rebuffed its surprise $33-a-share, all-hard cash acquisition bid. The tender give from New York-centered JetBlue was for $30 a share. JetBlue also urged Spirit shareholders to change down the mixture with Frontier at a June 10 Spirit stockholder assembly.

JetBlue said Thursday that it is “no surprise that Spirit shareholders are receiving far more of the similar from the Spirit Board,” accusing it of conflicts of fascination. JetBlue also mentioned Spirit’s board “continues to overlook the best interests of its shareholders by distorting the information to distract from their flawed process and defend their inferior deal with Frontier.”

Spirit’s board reviewed that give and stated in a assertion Thursday that it established it “is NOT in the best pursuits of Spirit and its stockholders.”

In Spirit’s assertion, it reported in talks with JetBlue that airline mentioned there “was a 100% certainty” that the Justice Division would find to block JetBlue’s acquisition of Spirit.

“This deal is illusory,” Spirit’s CEO Ted Christie stated in an job interview with CNBC’s “Squawk Box” on Thursday about the JetBlue bid to acquire Spirit. “It will not come about in our impression and for that reason our board has turned down it and to suggest or else once more, we feel is insulting.”

JetBlue stated in a statement Thursday that each promotions “have a very similar chance profile.”

Frontier and Spirit in February announced a $2.9 billion hard cash-and-inventory deal to mix into a lower price airline behemoth.

JetBlue claims its $3.6 billion all-dollars offer you would “turbocharge” its growth. All a few airways fly Airbus slim-human body planes, with dozens more on purchase. Either blend of the airways would make the fifth-greatest U.S. provider.

Spirit’s board has mentioned it regulators would approve a tie-up with JetBlue, citing its partnership with American Airways in the Northeast U.S. The Justice Office sued JetBlue and American more than that settlement last year with a trial date set for September.

Spirit shares were down roughly 2% in premarket trading Thursday, while JetBlue shares had been fractionally decreased.