Spirit Airlines Files For Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Protection

[@hyenafur]

Passengers: Oh no. Also passengers: Anyway!

[@d.b.cooper1]

It’s bad for consumers in general if they go bust. Even if they don’t fly on Spirit. Say what you want about Spirit, but it’s a much needed low cost player in a much needed market. The USA heavily lags behind Europe when it comes to air fares.

[@jaysmith1408]

@@d.b.cooper1but they’re so rubbish that their customers weren’t likely to fly a major airline anyways. Yes they did bring fares down over all airfares of any kind, but their strange and inconveniant routing, and lackluster service, aren’t likely to phase oh say Delta’s customers.

[@thetrainhopper8992]

@@d.b.cooper1bad for consumers? Spirit and the other ULCCs aren’t cheaper than the Big 3 once you bring a bag or are too tall to fit in their seats. There are some things were behind on in the US and the viability of shitty airlines like Spirit and Ryanair are things I’m glad we don’t follow Europe on.

[@d.b.cooper1]

@@thetrainhopper8992 It's all about choice. Not everyone need a check-in bag, as proven by the success of model. For sure, I'd agree if you price it all in it's more competitive, but almost always still cheaper...but that's the point, you offer cheaper/free travel to the masses. You yanks have turned Spirit/low cost travel into a meme, whereby people are socially scared of it. Meanwhile in Europe you will literally everyone regardless of income or class on these flights. Nothing wrong with a basic product for a sub 3/4 hour flight. Lastly, the reason the big airlines are so competitive right now is due to the low cost players, who have forced them to be profitable at these fares. Just look at how much profit Ryanair makes despite cheap fares (even if you price in bags). It's a model that works. Hold on to it, before you go back to a time of $400-$800 airfares for basic flights....whilst the world embraces lower fares.

[@thetrainhopper8992]

@@d.b.cooper160% of US flyers still take a bag…. What you call “choice” I call bilking the public.

[@g3johnston]

Someone needs to interview the Judge that blocked the JetBlue - Spirit merger. Ask them if they think this situation is better or worse for competition that they used as the basis for their decision.

[@MarcPagan]

Their routes overlapped too much - from a former airline sales manager. Would have decreased competition in too many markets.

[@tomoconnell2320]

@@MarcPagan the prior 20 airline mergers over the last 2 decades set the precedent for allowing that consolidation. The judge’s ruling was both grossly negligent and unjustifiable.

[@g3johnston]

@@MarcPagan I definitely read that justification, but find it exaggerated given how Delta and Northwest had huge operations with nearby regional hubs that overlapped (and closed). Same thing for the other huge legacy carriers that were allowed to exist. Spirit and JetBlue combined are really not that large even compared to the smallest of the Big 4. Just my opinion, hope to hear more of your thoughts as an insider.

[@AlbertHess-xy7ky]

A judge with clear foresight. He saw that Sprit would destroy JetBlue.

[@g3johnston]

@ But it was the other way around, JetBlue purchasing Spirit to gain its airframes and route network to be a stronger force against its competitors. At this point Frontier and Allegiant coincidentally announced additional expansions that will take advantage of Spirit’s restructuring.

[@mistersquirrel0]

Will there be a bankruptcy fee tacked on every ticket?

[@AlbertHess-xy7ky]

What tickets?

[@randomanonymous-q5d]

Plane tickets ​@@AlbertHess-xy7ky

[@ryanhedlund1830]

100%

[@AlbertHess-xy7ky]

There tickets to nowhere?

[@502Aviation]

Shhhhh........Don't give them any ideas!

[@gtoger]

Everything from the company reads like they asked ChatGPT to write a press release full of buzzwords.

[@jet4926]

Since the mid 70s until now I've seen em come and go. 😢

[@Plab1402]

Lets be honest, this was bound to come

[@thetrainhopper8992]

Tell that to this channel when they were singing the praises of the ULCC business model….

[@klein2042]

Ever since the merger got killed Spirit’s days were numbered

[@markiangooley]

I still can’t help but think that Spirit got its name because it drives people to drink…

[@oldcarnocar]

Cheers!

[@DreamlinerFan2016]

A troubled time for Spirit Airlines 🙁 I hope they can emerge from Bankruptcy as a better and stronger airline in the future. 🙏

[@MikeTobler9624]

But still frontier fault they can literally become a better airline together 🤷‍♂️

[@wainber1]

Only time will tell if that happens though.

[@MarcPagan]

Bad biz model - now that the Majors match w their bare bones economy option. Ex - UA's "Basic Economy"

[@ryanhedlund1830]

@@MarcPagan and Americans Basic Economy.

[@no-damn-alias]

Sad, as their mere presence lowered ticket prices over all carriers on a route.

[@NarasimhaDiyasena]

Unfortunately that literally cost them everything because you can’t run an airline like that. But United and the likes shouldn’t inflate their prices either.

[@thefreshmaker001]

And service

[@average_joe8905]

This is the major reason why Spirit wanted to merge with JetBlue

[@GO6iX4OUR]

Also frontier at one point.

[@fjp3305]

Another US airline that files for chapter 11, not the first, not the last one to do so.

[@AlbertHess-xy7ky]

Air fares will go up.

[@oldcarnocar]

WORST AIRLINE EVER!

[@AlexRoivas]

RIP PanAm

[@hanielyep-w4r]

Yay!

[@lawrencedavidson6195]

I hope spirit airlines keep flying. They have the cheapest tickets so lots of travelers benefit. Their airplanes are newish Airbus and are very safe.

[@ligmasack9038]

and the majority of the Passengers have Poor-Hygiene, no Manners, and speak in Ebonics while trying to throw Hands. Spirit is Dog-Water.

[@cefb8923]

Yeah them and Frontier have a ton of new planes. Frontier actually sucks though, Spirit is decent.

[@HonuFlight]

​@@cefb8923Frontier is also more West Coast oriented, while Spirit has a far better presence East of the Mississippi.

[@lawrencedavidson6195]

@@cefb8923 I have no issues with Spirit.

[@jermainec2462]

​@@ligmasack9038say you racist without saying you racist ... Quit blaming the people you need to be blaming the company... The companies budget is the reason for the bankruptcy regardless of how the people act

[@thetrainhopper8992]

I remember when you were singing the praises of Spirit and their ilk. How they were the future and cost 50 times less and now they’re facing financial issues.

[@AlbertHess-xy7ky]

Do you want to go back to to regulated fares?

[@rudivandoornegat2371]

How could this happen? Bad management? Bad luck? Hostile competitors?

[@trilight3597]

Multiple reasons. Customers don't like all the fees and they are failing to make decent returns as customers don't just want a seat. Spirit finds it hard to rebound after the thing that got everyone stuck home. And now people want to fly in style and not in as a canned sardine.

[@jaysmith1408]

The inconveniant routing is the main reason i don’t use them if i wanted to (which i don’t anyways). No connections, often single daily flights at odd times, the ambiance of a city bus, for heck sakes, they painted their aircraft to look like a taxi. Who in their right mind would willingly go for a four hour taxi ride?

[@reginabillotti]

@@trilight3597 They recently introduced bundled fare options but apparently haven't marketed them adequately

[@MarcPagan]

C my comment - I'm a former airline sales manager and pilot.

[@thetrainhopper8992]

Fundamentally it’s a flawed business model. Flying is expensive mechanically, Spirits target market are the people that took post pandemic inflation the hardest and the people who kept flying realized they weren’t a deal compared to the Big 3 or Southwest. I’ve only flown Frontier 3 times and after they left us in the runway for an hour, I haven’t gone back. It’s the most undignified way to travel and we don’t get a discount for it. Same thing happened to Megabus, they were charging the same as Amtrak, so people took the train.

[@TheSpinnGuy]

Although it’s not a great airline, avgeeks hate to see it go. Always like to see the flying highlighter flying overhead.

[@502Aviation]

I like to call them Banana Buses.

[@Ananth8193]

Actually i heard Spirit airlines and Jet blue are going to merge is that because of that or any other problems

[@magical_catgirl]

They wanted to with an agreement signed in 2022. The merger wasn't approved by regulators and the plan abandoned in March.

[@Cerby1979]

That merger was rejected by regulators citing concerns that less competition means fares would drastically increase.

[@davidmaclure1220]

In time of tough economic climate.

[@fortyframed]

sooo, is this good or bad?

[@NinkenmouséOfficial]

OUR FAVOURITE BANANA NO😭

[@keith_5584]

The Spirit of Ripping you off while destroying your eardrums with too much cabin pressure.

[@well-blazeredman6187]

You know how to excite an MBA, SF. Wingtips and engine-cowlings don't float my boat

[@scottbrick9918]

I must admit, unlike PAM-AM or airitalia or Swiss, I don't think people would mind if spirit went under

[@no-damn-alias]

Yes people will mind, even if they din't fly Spirit as their general presence on a route lowers ticket prices over all airlines

[@dereklenzen2330]

Even if you never fly Spirit, you should be glad that they and other ULCC's exist, because they keep the full-service airlines honest with their fare pricing.

[@limbeboy7]

​@@no-damn-alias true. Competition is always good for costumers

[@cefb8923]

People are dumb though lol

[@BorisKnoT]

How can a company bankrupt when there is such a high demand for flights? The problem is that all the money goes into pockets of individuals

[@bladi-senpai9398]

Operating and profitable operating are different things, spirit is in a relatively big debt compared to its earnings, they tried to copy jetblue that emerged out of nowhere and became one of the biggest, but were too ambitious

[@thetrainhopper8992]

Because people realized that flying on a bigger carrier doesn’t cost much more (if at all) and it’s a much better experience. Not to mention if you need more legroom cause you’re tall, you’re not going to fly with Spirit. Or if you take a bag or want to pick your seat, it ends up being the same as just flying United or American. American sucks, but at least they don’t run twice weekly flights and leave us on the runway for an hour. Spirits business model was basically to fill up on scraps and the scraps ran out of money due to inflation.

[@vincent412l7]

How will this affect loyalty points?

[@IlIlIlIlIlIlIlIl-v9h]

They should stop trying to get bought by another company and commit full-a$$ to making it alone. It doesn’t install confidence in your work force when the CEO is getting on his knees to $uck off the majors to buy Spirit.

[@sirobin171]

Its all about stock price in corporate America, thats it. They wanted to become the fifth largest airline in the US so that those executive compensation shares would go up. Watch for golden parachutes now.

[@garomistory]

It's a good thing and a bad thing at the same time. Good because, well, no more Spirit Airlines, and bad because, well, also no more Spirit Airlines.

[@barron204]

Insert Family Guy joke.

[@goldblox5008]

Yes people hate spirit but the airline doesn’t deserve to become bankrupt 😢

[@Hummerbird99]

Why not?

[@sirobin171]

If it is "bankrupt" then it deserves to be bankrupt.

[@dehavillandcanadatwinotter9621]

People hate low cost airlines until they realize without them they will be paying high prices all the time

[@goldblox5008]

@@dehavillandcanadatwinotter9621 Exactly my point

[@Calebs_Aviation]

Hope they are okay in the end but not surprising and not sad if they do go out! #SorryNotSorry Spirit Airlines 😂

[@deeganvirden2579]

So happy I got a spirt ticket to Florida lol

[@iceman9678]

Spirit will broken up and sold off as pieces. This was expected in some regard. Spirit was desperately looking to merge and ultimately the federal govt determined that a merger wouldn't be beneficial for the 'folks'.

[@erichstocker8358]

No, I don't think they will be able to emerge from bankruptcy

[@Nomar2007_NWDE_WRESTLING]

if that happens, Spirit will become another victim like Pan Am, TWA, Air Florida etc.

[@The_Legend_Thanos]

Its only chapter 11 bankruptcy protection

[@kevinheneghan74]

Great is no more spirit airlines 😊😊. Economy class passenger have no legroom. For for Different airlines with better legroom in economy class.

[@gumbyshrimp2606]

If only JetBlue were allowed to acquire it.

[@AlbertHess-xy7ky]

Spirit would have destroyed JetBlue

[@thetrainhopper8992]

Now they have a chance to acquire its spare parts if JetBlue can get itself together.

[@Offroad_76]

What airline to choose to make fun

[@AlbertHess-xy7ky]

To celebrate coming out of bankruptcy Sprit will be offering roundtrips to Hatti for $49.99. A fly over at 10,000 feet.

[@thefreshmaker001]

After offering bad service.

[@marksellinger3736]

I think American Airlines will enjoy having those newer A320s and A321s once Spirit flounders. Same with Frontier.

[@NarasimhaDiyasena]

If they’re lucky to snatch them. The aircraft are probably owned by those big European based Leasing Corps who have a preferential list.

[@ralphlauren879]

@@NarasimhaDiyasena surprisingly spirit owns most of their planes. Only some are leased.

[@12KlingerD]

​@@ralphlauren879They don't own most of their planes. 28 owned and 162 leased

[@klein2042]

JetBlue is probably gonna scoop a bunch up, they were supposed to all be theirs anyways

[@JungleJetAviation06]

Should have gotten Leap 1A engines lol.

[@JoneQE212]

A very good airline, I can't imagine how to pay $60 to fly from New York to Los Angeles in the future！

[@mfrancocuevas]

Tell them to make the a321xlr

[@Sweatymilkshake]

How are you going to service exclusively poor people then act surprised when you don’t make money?

[@AlbertHess-xy7ky]

What should be done with the poor?

[@gunsaway1]

Sure, glad they did not shut down. I would miss all the fights and dirtbags that ride their planes

[@AlbertHess-xy7ky]

Descendants of slaves.

[@sirobin171]

Spirit airlines is a horrible airline - the market has spoken, good bye! Hopefully for good. Thank God they did not get to pollute Jet Blue.

[@deniermurch8693]

It all depends on how much debt, and how much they are loosing. Probably terminal.(satire)

[@monkey4392]

we won’t be able to find cheap airfares anymore .. thank you judge .. u were afraid on monopoly but now u forcing them out of business.. i can find spirit cheap tickets for 80$/100$ round trip .. none stop other airlines 400$/700$ ..

[@anonoymous-_-a]

Spirit could be cooked💀

[@LegoWormNoah101]

I think I speak for everyone when I say: Can Spirit Airlines, and the ULCC model just be gone by now?

[@HonuFlight]

Even if you don't fly them, they drive down ticket prices on all carriers.

[@thetrainhopper8992]

@@HonuFlightand legroom which is how ticket fares “went down”.

[@jantjarks7946]

No, you don't speak for everyone. There are more than enough passengers for such airlines.

[@reginabillotti]

Speak for yourself. When it comes to domestic flights, I would rather save on the flight and spend more money at my destination.

[@kevinbarry71]

You mean its business plan to be the worst airline ever was not successful?

[@enderbeam8089]

If we're being honest, the airline would've been very honest about minimal pricing on their flights, as their situation shows

[@josephpadula2283]

Yes Frontier beat them at being the worst !

[@cefb8923]

@@josephpadula2283 Frontier is legit bad. I have contracted for them, the incompetence I have seen that has delayed and cancelled flights just on the maintenance side alone is shocking.

[@cefb8923]

People: I want the cheapest tickets possible but also want the best service.

[@enderbeam8089]

@@cefb8923 you should know better 🤣 you can only get one, at the cost of the other

[@thefurbeastunderyourbed5012]

I think now they can re-brand from the _Home of the Bare Fare_ to the _Home of the Bare Naked_ .

[@Daniel-t2c3x]

Noooo

[@planespottingwithabdullah]

Airbus

[@Plab1402]

🤓☝️ erm I don't like this aircraft manufacturer so I'm doing to cope and bitch all around the Internet!

[@ght33]

Me thinks this Rida them of some debt and opens a better position to merge with ??? Jet Blue maybe or Aliegent.

[@Samanbeachhikkaduwa]

🙋‍♂️🎵✈

[@timetraveller12345]

Was the judge's decision a willful misconduct or stupidity? He killed the airline and made millions of investors suffer losses. May life curse and punish him. He won't survive tonnes of curses on him. A small compensation but at least smth...

[@davidwebb4904]

Good riddance

[@mikeyriley8959]

That’ll put about 3500 pilots on the market, end of shortage.

[@ligmasack9038]

"Ghetto-Airlines goes Bankrupt" would be a more accurate Title/Headline.

[@stephengarofalo863]

I will never fly Spirit Airlines.