Spirit Airlines has shut down....14,000 jobs cut

[rightwinger]

Spirit was cheap because they provided shitty service and didn't bother with comfort in any way. I flew one trip on Spirit not of my own choosing and it cost me nothing for the flight. The Make-A-Wish Foundation conserved their funds by providing the cheapest flight they could, but I do not blame them for their choice. Spirit was a horrible experience, and I hope they changed carriers to Orlando in the future after my daughter relayed our experience.

They didn't deice the plane before we were ready for takeoff, and it took two hours sitting on the ground to get it done. This was during COVID, so we were all wearing masks the entire time. We were delayed so long that my grandsons were starving and thirsty by the time we got airborne. It then cost us approximately $30.00 for a snack and drinks. When I lowered my tray table down, it was covered in dirt. We were an early morning flight, first of the day, so I know it had been that way. The seats were obviously designed by sadists and were the most uncomfortable seats I have ever seen on any airline. After sitting 4 hours, I could hardly get up and off the plane at our destination.

That is why they went out of business. You could not pay me to fly that airline, and I laughed every time I saw one of their commercials. Goodbye and good riddance to bad rubbish. They are the Greyhound bus equivalent of an airline!

People were willing to withstand a horrible flight experience for a couple hours to get thousands of miles away for an affordable price.
I have flown since the 70s and the airline experience is nowhere near what it once was. It is not just the low cost airlines that have cut services

Airlines like Spirit, JetBlue and Southwest forced major airlines to keep their prices competitive

 

[Moonglow]

People were willing to withstand a horrible flight experience for a couple hours to get thousands of miles away for an affordable price.
I have flown since the 70s and the airline experience is nowhere near what it once was. It is not just the low cost airlines that have cut services

Airlines like Spirit, JetBlue and Southwest forced major airlines to keep their prices competitive

I flew in 2017 the last time, and compared to the 1970s and 1980s they all suck.

 

[1srelluc]

People were willing to withstand a horrible flight experience for a couple hours to get thousands of miles away for an affordable price.

Trouble is.....They come back.

Here's how it should work.....We will fly you form Dulles to Detroit at a discount, if you want to come back it will cost you 4X more.

 

[citygator]

Sounds great!

 

[The Duke]

https://www.bing.com/ck/a?!&&p=ac12...ZWFzZXMrb3BlcmF0aW9ucyZmb3JtPUNTQlJBTkQ&ntb=1

Spirit Airlines Ceases Operations After Failed Bailout​

Spirit Airlines has immediately ceased all operations on May 2, 2026, after failing to secure a $500 million federal bailout KRCR News Channel 7+1. The South Florida–based ultra-low-cost carrier, which had flown to more than 40 U.S. cities with a hub at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, announced an “orderly wind-down” and canceled all flights KRCR News Channel 7.

Sigh, now which airline are people going to have fights on?

In before...."Trump refused a bailout because he hates minorities".

Jokes aside....With the price of jet fuel, it might be a year or more before it makes fiscal sense to try to feed the discount window licker market again.

Was just reading about that. Apparently Elizabeth Warren had a hand in it. Wonder if she shorted their stock.

 

[1srelluc]

Good try getting out in front of this trying to make it look like some kinda "win".

You failed, but it was a good try.

Yet you people were crying about "Mah Trump Bailout of Spirit" when it suited your needs.

No bailout and you are still whining.

 

[odanny]

Flying will revert to being a pleasure of the wealthy.

Airlines like Spirit forced major airlines to keep down their rates. Now it will become a monopoly

United and American Airlines were having discussions on a merger.

 

[Darkwind]

Yet you people were crying about "Mah Trump Bailout of Spirit" when it suited your needs.

No bailout and you are still whining.

I was just thinking that.

They were, just last week, hammering Trump for bailing out the rich airline owners.

Now, they're pissing and moaning that Trump let them fail.

They could have saved themselves, but like Democrats, they couldn't see that their way is the wrong way.

 

[1srelluc]

Was just reading about that. Apparently Elizabeth Warren had a hand in it. Wonder if she shorted their stock.

Huh! Just goes to show....Everything a dem touches turns to shit.

Elizabeth Warren and the Spirit Airlines Shutdown​

Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren has been at the center of controversy over the shutdown of Spirit Airlines in May 2026, a collapse that has turned her 2024 antitrust victory into a major travel and employment crisis.

The 2024 Merger Blockade​

In March 2024, Warren and the U.S. Department of Justice sued to block a $3.8 billion merger between JetBlue and Spirit Airlines. The DOJ argued the deal would raise fares and reduce consumer choice, citing higher rates on overlapping routes and fewer options for travelers Tampa Free Press+1. Warren supported the move, calling it a “Biden win for flyers” and warning that larger airlines would consolidate and harm competition Tampa Free Press+1.

The Shutdown​

Despite the legal win, Spirit’s financial health deteriorated. The carrier had lost nearly $2 billion since 2020, faced mounting debt, and suffered engine issues it could not fix without JetBlue’s support Tampa Free Press. In April 2026, President Trump floated a $500 million government bailout, but Warren opposed using taxpayer money, citing the “war with Iran” as a cause of soaring fuel prices Mint+1. The deal fell through, and on May 2, Spirit ceased all operations, canceling all flights Mint+1.

Public and Political Backlash​

The shutdown has drawn sharp criticism from some political figures. Former Senator Alex Bruesewitz called Warren “a nasty woman” and blamed her and the Biden Administration for killing the merger that could have saved Spirit PRIMETIMER. Social media users have also targeted Warren, accusing her of “killing Spirit Airlines” and warning that budget fares for low-income travelers would vanish Mint+1.

Federal and Industry Response​

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy called the shutdown a “mess” and criticized the merger block as turning its back on consumers and workers Tampa Free Press. The Department of Transportation has coordinated with major carriers—American, United, Delta, JetBlue, Southwest, Allegiant, Frontier, Avelo, and Breeze—to provide relief for stranded passengers and employees Tampa Free Press. Measures include:

• Ticket price caps for displaced passengers (United, Delta, JetBlue, Southwest)
• 50% fare discounts on Frontier flights
• Price freezes on overlapping Allegiant routes
• Jump seat access for Spirit staff
• Recruitment sites and preferential interviews for former Spirit employees Tampa Free Press

Bottom Line​

Warren’s 2024 antitrust action prevented the JetBlue–Spirit merger, but critics argue it removed a potential lifeline for Spirit, contributing to its eventual collapse. Supporters maintain the move protected competition and lower fares. The fallout has left thousands of travelers stranded and thousands of aviation workers jobless, with a federal rescue effort underway to mitigate the damage.



https://www.tampafp.com/spirit-airl...lizabeth-warrens-biden-win-into-travel-chaos/

 

[odanny]

 

[Lockback]

A lot of people relied on Spirit and other low cost airlines
Now, only the wealthy will be able to fly

If you look at the cost of flying over the years, you'll realize what completely absurd statement that is. Deregulation changed everything years ago but I know your Marxist mindset doesn't allow for such things as "facts".

 

[1srelluc]