Spirit Airlines plans to furlough approximately 270 pilots, demote another 140 captains, starting November 1 and October 1 respectively, in an effort to scale down its workforce as part of a broader cost-cutting strategy. The move comes after the airline emerged from bankruptcy in March and seeks to transform its image from a budget carrier to a premium airline.
The company cited the need to return to profitability as the reason for the furloughs, which are part of Spirit’s efforts to overhaul its business model. This is the third round of pilot furloughs and downgrades since September 2024, with union officials expressing concern over the impact on pilot careers and seniority.
The Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) has been working on a third Furlough Mitigation Memorandum of Understanding to explore voluntary options for reducing the scope of furloughs.
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/07/28/business/spirit-airlines-furlough