Spirit to Furlough Over 300 Pilots as Losses Mount

The ultra-low-cost carrier is making sweeping cost cuts next year.

A Spirit A320neo in Los Angeles (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

[ Pilots ]October 30, 2024 3:38 pm ET

By Ryan Ewing

Spirit is furloughing more pilots as part of an ongoing cost-cutting initiative. Just last month, the ultra-low-cost carrier placed 186 of its pilots on furlough.

The beleaguered airline continues to face mounting losses, reporting a net loss of $158 million in the second quarter. More losses are expected in its third-quarter earnings report.

Last week, the carrier said it finalized an agreement to sell 23 Airbus A320 and A321 aircraft, reducing its fleet by approximately 11% next year. Spirit still has several new A320neo and A321neo aircraft grounded due to Pratt & Whitney engine issues.

In addition, the carrier announced an $80 million plan to cut costs, which will primarily be driven by workforce reductions, Spirit said in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing. This plan will be implemented starting in early 2025.

The carrier expects year-over-year capacity to be down in the midteens range.

About 330 of the airline’s 3,500 pilots are set to be furloughed in the coming months. The carrier is also downgrading roughly 120 captains.

A Spirit spokesperson confirmed the furloughs in a statement to AirlineGeeks.

“We are implementing a series of cost savings initiatives throughout our business, including a reduction in workforce, as part of our comprehensive plan to return to profitability,” the spokesperson said. “We have made the difficult decision to furlough approximately 330 Pilots, effective Jan. 31, 2025, to align with our expected flight volume. These decisions are never made lightly, and we are committed to treating all affected Team Members with the utmost care and respect during this process.”

All of this comes as Spirit and Frontier are reportedly revisiting merger talks, according to a Wall Street Journal report. The two airlines terminated their initial deal in 2022.

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Ryan Ewing

Ryan founded AirlineGeeks.com back in February 2013 and has amassed considerable experience in the aviation sector. His work has been featured in several publications and news outlets, including CNN, WJLA, CNET, and Business Insider. During his time in the industry, he's worked in roles pertaining to airport/airline operations while holding a B.S. in Air Transportation Management from Arizona State University along with an MBA. Ryan has experience in several facets of the industry from behind the yoke of a Cessna 172 to interviewing airline industry executives. Ryan works for AirlineGeeks' owner FLYING Media, spearheading coverage in the commercial aviation space.

Follow Ryan

Author

Ryan Ewing

Ryan founded AirlineGeeks.com back in February 2013 and has amassed considerable experience in the aviation sector. His work has been featured in several publications and news outlets, including CNN, WJLA, CNET, and Business Insider. During his time in the industry, he's worked in roles pertaining to airport/airline operations while holding a B.S. in Air Transportation Management from Arizona State University along with an MBA. Ryan has experience in several facets of the industry from behind the yoke of a Cessna 172 to interviewing airline industry executives. Ryan works for AirlineGeeks' owner FLYING Media, spearheading coverage in the commercial aviation space.
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