Spirit Airlines to Cut Flights to 12 Cities

Spirit Airlines is set to stop flights to 12 cities on October 2, marking a key shift as budget airlines navigate through their second bankruptcy this year, according to CBS News.

The airline, based in Florida, announced on Thursday it will cease operations in Albuquerque, Birmingham, Boise, Chattanooga, Oakland, Columbia, Portland, Sacramento, Salt Lake City, San Diego, San Jose, and Macon, Georgia. These cuts come shortly after Spirit filed for bankruptcy protection in August, just ahead of a planned reorganization on November 11, 2024, as noted by CBS News.

A spokesperson for Spirit stated, “We will apologize to our guests for the inconvenience this may cause and reach out to those with affected bookings to inform them of their options, including refunds.”

The company pointed to weak demand for leisure travel and acknowledged “substantial doubt” about its ongoing viability. In response, United Airlines has quickly announced 15 new routes starting on January 6 to attract Spirit’s former customers.

“If Spirit suddenly goes out of business, it will be very destructive,” a United representative remarked, emphasizing that they want to provide other flight options for customers.

Following United’s announcement, Spirit pushed back, with a spokesperson saying, “We appreciate the attention from certain airline executives, but our focus is on providing great operations.”

Additionally, Frontier Airlines has jumped into the competition, introducing 20 new routes from cities including Detroit, Houston, and Baltimore, with ticket prices starting at $29.

As Spirit navigates its financial restructuring, it continues to manage its remaining routes.