Spirit prepares to cut flights as it furloughs, downgrades pilots

Spirit Airlines plans to furlough 270 pilots as of Nov. 1, the airline confirmed to TPG on Tuesday, as it prepares to make significant cuts to its schedule and network. The airline also said it will downgrade, or demote, 140 captains to first officers as of Oct. 1.

In a statement, a Spirit spokesperson confirmed the workforce reduction and said that it was necessary to "better align staffing with our flight schedule."

"We are taking necessary steps to ensure we operate as efficiently as possible as part of our efforts to return to profitability," the statement said. "We recognize the weight of this decision and are committed to treating all affected Team Members with compassion and respect during this process."

The furloughs were first reported by Bloomberg. Spirit also furloughed pilots and cut other jobs in 2024.

Spirit did not provide details on the coming flight cuts, although the airline has already cut numerous routes and frequencies in several different moves since late 2024.

Spirit emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy in March after a major corporate restructuring that saw the airline convert $795 million of funded debt into equity and receive a $350 million equity boost from investors. The airline appointed a new CEO, Dave Davis, after previous CEO Ted Christie stepped down as part of the restructuring.

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The airline has tried to pivot from its ultra-low-cost business model as it struggles to return to profitability by offering premium travel options such as first-class seats, seeking to reposition itself as a more upscale airline among its budget competitors. U.S. airlines have become more reliant on premium revenue since the COVID-19 pandemic began, while traditional carriers have also learned to master the "basic economy" concept, somewhat neutralizing the competitive advantage that ultra-low-cost airlines like Spirit previously enjoyed.

Still, the airline has continued to face mounting challenges on the other side of bankruptcy after reporting a net loss of more than $1 billion in 2024. Domestic travel demand has been softer than expected this year across the industry, other airlines have said.

While the airline tried to merge with JetBlue in 2023 in order to avoid bankruptcy or even insolvency, the merger was struck down by a federal judge in early 2024. Frontier Airlines made an offer to acquire Spirit in late January, suggesting another reorganization option for the troubled carrier. However, Spirit rejected Frontier's offer.

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