Overview

• Spirit Airlines will furlough approximately 270 pilots effective Nov. 1 and demote 140 captains to first officers beginning Oct. 1 to align staffing with its smaller off-season flight schedule.
• This marks the third round of pilot workforce reductions since September 2024, following earlier cuts during its Chapter 11 restructuring.
• Since emerging from bankruptcy protection in March, Spirit has struggled with unprofitability, reporting an adjusted net loss of $158 million in the second quarter of 2025.
• The carrier has not posted an annual profit since 2019 and has cut capacity by roughly 24% year-over-year to address softer demand for its basic-economy offerings.
• The Air Line Pilots Association is negotiating a mitigation agreement with Spirit to pursue voluntary options and preserve pilot careers as it implements further cuts.