Spirit Airlines To Cut 365 More Pilot Jobs As Bankruptcy Restructuring Deepens

Spirit Airlines announced that it will furlough an additional 365 pilots and downgrade the status of up to 170 pilots in the first quarter of 2026, as part of its ongoing restructuring efforts. This decision follows the ultra-low-cost carrier’s second bankruptcy filing in a year, which occurred this past August.

The Florida-based carrier informed the pilots’ union of its intention to cut $100 million in annual pilot-related expenses to preserve cash reserves amid mounting financial pressures, according to Reuters. These latest workforce reductions follow previous furloughs of approximately 330 pilots, with plans already in motion to furlough another 270 pilots in November.

Spirit Airlines Scales Back Operations With Extensive Workforce Reductions

“As part of our ongoing restructuring, we are taking additional steps to align staffing across our organization with our previously announced capacity reduction and smaller operating fleet size,” Spirit Airlines stated in its official announcement. The company currently employs approximately 2,400 pilots, meaning the combined furloughs will affect a significant portion of its pilot workforce.

Spirit’s Chief Operating Officer, John Bendoraitis, indicated in a memo that the number of furloughs may decrease in the coming weeks due to voluntary attrition. The company plans to open the bid process at the end of November, as reported by Reuters. Beyond pilot positions, Spirit has also decided to furlough approximately 1,800 flight attendants, representing roughly one-third of its cabin crew, effective December 1, according to industry reporting.

The restructuring extends beyond personnel cuts to include significant operational changes. Spirit Airlines announced impending reductions across its corporate teams and plans to make staffing adjustments at its maintenance stations based on service volume. The carrier will also close its maintenance stations and warehouse operations in Baltimore and Chicago, effective January 1, 2026.

Financial Outlook and Transformation Strategy

In recent financial disclosures, Spirit Airlines projected that the furloughs would save the company approximately $211 million, a critical figure as the airline battles severe financial headwinds. The carrier has estimated it will incur losses of $804 million in 2025, according to media reports, underscoring the urgency of its restructuring efforts. Spirit’s transformation plan aims to return the airline to profitability by 2027, a goal that necessitates network reductions in 2026.

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