Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy remarked on Sunday that the recent bankruptcy of Spirit Airlines can be traced back to a decision made by former President Joe Biden, along with former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and the Justice Department, to block a merger with JetBlue. This decision came just before Spirit ceased its operations and entered liquidation early Saturday.
Duffy stated on ABC’s “This Week,” “The Joe Biden-Pete Buttigieg administration and the Department of Justice killed that deal. Shortly after that, they filed for bankruptcy.” He noted that around 3 a.m. Saturday, the airline closed its call center and ticket counters, starting what he referred to as an “orderly liquidation process,” which left federal authorities and other airlines rushing to support the affected passengers.
According to Duffy, without any operational support for travelers, those hoping to fly Spirit Airlines were met with confusion and disappointment. “If you’re planning on flying Spirit Airlines, don’t come to the airport. There’s no one here to help you,” he advised.
The Department of Transportation was quickly engaging with major airlines to help mitigate the disruption, with various airlines stepping in to offer discounted fares and capped ticket prices for stranded passengers, Duffy mentioned. Specifically, he highlighted that United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, JetBlue Airways, and Southwest Airlines had placed limits on ticket prices, which historically hover around $200 for a one-way flight.
Duffy connected Spirit’s downfall directly to the obstruction of the JetBlue-Spirit merger, which he said was opposed by the Biden administration. “They framed the decision as beneficial to consumers, claiming it would lead to lower prices and better options,” he recounted, emphasizing that it has had the opposite effect as a collapse that is now affecting countless travelers nationwide.
He added that the airline’s financial troubles were apparent long before its closure, pointing out that Spirit had filed for bankruptcy after a previous merger rejection in 2024. While he acknowledged the airline was in dire circumstances, he asserted that external factors, like the conflict with Iran, were not the main issues causing its downfall. “Their model wasn’t working. They couldn’t get their finances to health,” he said.
Fox News Digital attempted to reach out to Biden and Buttigieg for their perspectives but did not receive a response immediately.
