Spirit Airlines plans to sell 20 planes and brings back laid-off flight attendants.

Spirit Airlines Enters Aircraft Sale and Flight Attendant Recall

Spirit Airlines has secured a deal to sell 20 Airbus jets while also planning to recall some of its flight attendants who were laid off last year due to financial struggles facing the low-cost airline.

Currently, Spirit is undergoing its second bankruptcy process in under two years. The first Chapter 11 filing occurred in November 2024, followed by a restructuring that wrapped up in March 2025. Then, a second bankruptcy filing took place in August 2025, triggering service reductions and furloughs.

The airline mentioned that selling these aircraft would bolster its financial situation. Interestingly, the company doesn’t foresee the fleet reduction impacting its flight schedule because many of the planes involved are not currently in operation.

In a statement, Spirit mentioned, “As part of our ongoing restructuring, we have come to an agreement to sell 20 aircraft that have been on the market for a while. Most of these are not in revenue service.” If the court approves this transaction, it is expected to provide them with more financial flexibility. The phased-out aircraft will begin leaving the fleet in April 2026, and they don’t expect this to alter their short-term flight roster or staffing levels.

Spirit formally applied to a federal bankruptcy court for permission to proceed with this sale, with the proceeds intended to pay off related debts and help diminish operational costs.

According to reports, the first bidder, CSDS Asset Management, has offered about $533.5 million for the 20 aircraft. If the deal is approved, Spirit plans to seek other competitive bids starting at approximately $554 million, with an auction scheduled for April.

In a related move, on Thursday, Spirit announced it would be recalling 500 of the over 1,300 flight attendants it had furloughed in December due to lingering financial issues. They stated, “As we adapt to our business needs, we’re issuing recall notices to these 500 involuntarily furloughed flight attendants, effective December 1, 2025. Notifications will go out on February 12, 2026, and those who agree will return as outlined in our collective bargaining agreement.”

The Flight Attendants Association (CWA), which represents Spirit’s flight attendants, indicated in a statement that the recalls will happen based on seniority, beginning with those who were involuntarily furloughed. The union characterized this as positive news for the recalled attendants and their families, noting its importance for those in demanding roles over the past months. They emphasized the airline’s objective in recalling staff is to help alleviate ongoing operational hurdles post-furloughs.