Spirit Airlines announced some dispiriting news for travelers and company employees: it will cut 25% of its flight capacity in November 2025 and brace for further job cuts.
After declaring its second bankruptcy in less than a year earlier this month, CEO Dave Davis revealed the news in a memo to employees on Wednesday, emphasizing that the reductions are necessary for the company to focus on its more profitable markets.
“These evaluations will inevitably affect the size of our teams as we become a more efficient airline. Unfortunately, these are the tough calls we must make to emerge stronger,” Davis wrote.
Related: Spirit Airlines Issues New Dress Code After Last Year’s Viral Crop Top Incident
The airline’s restructuring arrives amid heavy financial losses this year. CNBC reports that Spirit lost nearly $257 million between March and June 2025. And after emerging from bankruptcy earlier this year, the company has faced weak travel demand, increased competition, and rising costs (especially following its failed merger with JetBlue).
Spirit has already dropped routes in 11 cities, including Albuquerque, San Diego, and Oakland.
So far, specifics on future layoffs remain unclear, but recent changes have included furloughs and demotions for hundreds of pilots and voluntary unpaid leave for some flight attendants. The carrier’s unionized workforce is preparing for negotiations, with the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA telling its members that “this bankruptcy will be much more difficult than the last one.”
Rival airlines—most notably United, Frontier, and JetBlue—have already moved to expand into routes Spirit is abandoning. Experts say that fewer Spirit flights could signal higher prices and reduced choices for holiday travelers.
Spirit Airlines announced some dispiriting news for travelers and company employees: it will cut 25% of its flight capacity in November 2025 and brace for further job cuts.
After declaring its second bankruptcy in less than a year earlier this month, CEO Dave Davis revealed the news in a memo to employees on Wednesday, emphasizing that the reductions are necessary for the company to focus on its more profitable markets.
“These evaluations will inevitably affect the size of our teams as we become a more efficient airline. Unfortunately, these are the tough calls we must make to emerge stronger,” Davis wrote.
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