Spirit Airlines is encountering major difficulties as it navigates its second Chapter 11 bankruptcy within a year. The airline is contending with financial uncertainty and operational reliability problems, intensified by a substantial number of flight cancellations and delays. According to FlightAware, Spirit canceled 11% of its flights and experienced 38% delays on January 1, 2025, followed by 14% cancellations and 33% delays on January 2, 2025. On January 3, 2025, the airline had canceled 9% of its flights and delayed 3% as of early morning.
The airline credits these operational challenges to unprecedented sick calls from crew members, resulting in major disruptions. An internal memo from Spirit’s Chief Operating Officer underscores the effects of diminished reserve levels and a spike in sick calls, which have surpassed previous periods by up to 250%. This has led to numerous cancellations, leaving thousands of travelers stranded.
Spirit is also facing high employee turnover, with many pilots departing voluntarily, even after the planned furloughs were canceled. The blend of ill employees and attrition has rendered the airline understaffed, exacerbating its operational difficulties. The situation is further worsened by speculation of impending liquidation and recent salary reductions, which may have influenced employee morale and their commitment to the company’s success.
As Spirit Airlines strives to stabilize its operations, it finds itself challenged with reinstating reliability amidst financial and staffing hurdles. The airline’s future is precarious, with ongoing changes likely to affect its capacity to rebound and sustain its network.