A Spirit Airlines aircraft undergoes operations in preparation for departure at the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Austin, Texas, on Feb. 12, 2024.
Brandon Bell | Getty Images
Spirit Airlines told staff Friday that it’s suspending about 40 routes, finalizing a 25% cut to its November schedule as it scrambles to slash costs in bankruptcy and focus on profitable flights.
“While the news has been tough, we believe the clarity will help us move forward as a team,” Rana Ghosh, Spirit’s chief commercial officer, said in a note to employees, which was seen by CNBC.
Earlier this week Spirit said it plans to furlough about 1,800 flight attendants, around a third of its cabin crew members.
Spirit filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection last month for the second time in less than a year as it struggled with higher-than-expected costs and weaker travel demand than it projected.
Spirit didn’t immediately comment on the routes it is cutting, but Ghosh said in his note that Spirit will be halting service in Hartford, Connecticut, and Minneapolis.
He also said Spirit has hired Andrea Lusso, who previously was the principal for supply chain and network design at Amazon Air, the online retailer’s air shipment arm. Lusso will serve as vice president of network planning. His predecessor, John Kirby, retired last month after more than 40 years in the industry.
