Kamal Ghorui
Spirit Airlines, one of America’s most recognisable low-cost carriers, is ending its journey after more than three decades in the skies, announcing an immediate shutdown. Speaking on Saturday, the airline said that it had begun “an orderly wind-down of our operations, effective immediately,” closing the chapter on a 34-year run that transformed budget travel with heavily discounted fares, bold marketing and bright yellow planes. Once operating hundreds of flights each day, the company employed about 17,000 people. All services have now stopped, with Spirit confirming that every flight has been cancelled and customer support has ceased operations. “We are proud of the impact of our ultra-low-cost model on the industry over the last 34 years and had hoped to serve our guests for many years to come,” the airline said.Customers were informed that refunds would be issued, although the airline would not provide assistance in securing alternative travel arrangements. The closure came after hopes of federal intervention faded on Friday when no government bailout was secured for the struggling carrier.US President Donald Trump said that his administration had made Spirit a “final proposal” involving a taxpayer-backed takeover, but negotiations failed to produce a deal.The prospect of government support had emerged after Spirit returned to bankruptcy court for the second time in less than two years, amid soaring jet fuel prices linked to the Iran war.The airline had been under mounting financial strain since the Covid-19 pandemic, grappling with higher operating expenses and expanding debt. By its November 2024 Chapter 11 filing, Spirit had accumulated losses exceeding $2.5 billion since 2020.Its financial condition worsened further by August 2025, when bankruptcy filings showed $8.1 billion in liabilities against $8.6 billion in assets.Unions representing Spirit’s workforce, including pilots, flight attendants and ramp staff, had pushed for a rescue, warning that the airline’s collapse would eliminate thousands of jobs while reducing competition and pushing fares higher for travellers.Spirit lawyer Marshall Huebner said around 17,000 jobs could be affected.The airline’s exit is expected to be particularly significant for cost-conscious travellers and holidaymakers, especially in destinations where Spirit maintained a major presence, including Las Vegas, Fort Lauderdale and Orlando.Its shrinking footprint had already become evident. In February, Spirit flew around 1.7 million domestic passengers, nearly 500,000 fewer than a year earlier, according to Cirium. Seat availability has also been cut dramatically, with capacity this month standing at roughly half of what it was in May 2024.
