Spirit Airlines will slash its schedule in November, reducing capacity by 25 percent, CEO Dave Davis told employees in a memo Wednesday. The move comes just weeks after the airline filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection for the second time in less than a year, according to CNBC. The company is aiming to cut costs and concentrate on what Davis called its “strongest markets.”
The discount carrier, which had already reduced capacity earlier this year after emerging from bankruptcy in March, is evaluating its fleet size and negotiating with vendors and lessors.
“These evaluations will inevitably affect the size of our teams as we become a more efficient airline,” Davis wrote in the staff memo cited by CNBC. “Unfortunately, these are the tough calls we must make to emerge stronger.”
The airline said it has engaged with labor unions to discuss the impact of the adjustments but did not specify how many employees may be affected. It was already announced in July that Spirit would furlough some 270 pilots in November, so it appears this latest memo could be referring to additional impacts to Spirit’s employees.
In addition to those previously announced furloughs, Spirit also announced demotions for 140 pilots back in July, while some flight attendants have taken voluntary unpaid leave. The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA told members in a statement Wednesday that this bankruptcy “will be much more difficult than the last one” and warned crews to prepare for potential management actions.
Meanwhile, competitors including United, Frontier and JetBlue have added or expanded service to routes previously operated by Spirit, underscoring the pressure the carrier faces as it works to stabilize operations.
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