Spirit Merger Talks Fall Through, Bankruptcy Looms

Spirit is in advanced talks with bondholders over a potential bankruptcy filing, a Wall Street Journal report said on Tuesday.

Spirit aircraft
Spirit Airbus jets. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)
Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

Spirit Airlines is in advanced talks with bondholders over a potential bankruptcy filing, a Wall Street Journal report said on Tuesday. Merger talks between the financially ailing ultra-low-cost carrier and Frontier halted.

The airline – which has posted quarterly losses for several years – sold over 20 aircraft last month in a deal to raise cash. Spirit has also reduced capacity on a year-over-year basis.

Next year, the carrier is slated to furlough hundreds of pilots and downgrade several more captains. Spirit has yet to report its third-quarter earnings, but noted that more losses are expected. In the second-quarter, the carrier reported a net loss of $158 million.

According to the report, Spirit is planning a bankruptcy filing “within weeks.”

Ryan Ewing

Ryan founded AirlineGeeks.com in February 2013 and has spent more than a decade covering the airline business. His work has been featured by CNN, WJLA, CNET, and Business Insider. His aviation experience spans airport operations, Part 135 regulatory compliance, and airline crew workforce planning, along with time behind the yoke of a Cessna 172 and interviews with airline executives. Ryan now serves as Group President of Firecrown Media’s Aviation Group. He holds a B.S. in Air Transportation Management and an MBA from Arizona State University and teaches Airline Management at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
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