Spirit Airlines will reduce its flight schedule by 25% starting in November, the company announced this week.
The move comes as part of a larger cost-cutting plan following the airline’s second bankruptcy filing in just one year.
In a memo to employees, CEO Dave Davis said the company is working to “become a more efficient airline,” but warned that job cuts will be part of the process.
“These evaluations will inevitably affect the size of our teams,” Davis wrote. “Unfortunately, these are the tough calls we must make to emerge stronger.”
According to CBS News, the final flight schedule is expected to be released next week. Meanwhile, Spirit is in talks with its pilot union to cut $100 million in annual costs from the pilot group.
According to union chair Captain Ryan Mulle, Spirit said these savings are urgent, and negotiations will continue through October 1.
The Air Line Pilots Association, which represents Spirit’s pilots, is now surveying its members. If no deal is reached, the airline could seek legal changes to pilot contracts under its bankruptcy protections.
The flight attendants’ union is also preparing for possible changes to their agreements.
Spirit Cancels New Macon, Georgia Service Plans Amid Bankruptcy
Spirit, which runs about 5,000 flights to 88 destinations across the US, Caribbean, and Latin America, had already announced earlier this month that it will stop flying to 11 US cities on October 2.
It also canceled plans to launch new service in Macon, Georgia. The airline’s troubles started long before the latest bankruptcy.
After a failed merger with JetBlue Airways, Spirit faced growing costs, shrinking travel demand, and fierce competition from bigger airlines. Since exiting bankruptcy in March, Spirit has already lost $257 million, CNBC said.
Some of its competitors, including United, Frontier, and JetBlue, have started adding new flights to attract former Spirit customers.
In May, the Biden administration began requiring airlines to show full ticket prices upfront, including fees — a move aimed at protecting travelers from hidden costs.
Spirit has not yet said how many jobs will be cut but says it will continue discussions with its unions in the coming weeks.
Originally published on vcpost.com
