2 days ago
- Business
- San Francisco Chronicle
Spirit to furlough hundreds of pilots — and Bay Area travelers may feel it
Spirit Airlines announced Monday it will furlough 270 pilots and demote 140 captains to first officers as part of a restructuring effort aimed at restoring profitability.
The furloughs, set to take effect Nov. 1, come just months after the Florida-based budget carrier emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy in March.
'We are taking necessary steps to ensure we operate as efficiently as possible as part of our efforts to return to profitability,' Spirit said in a statement, citing weakened demand and a need to 'better align staffing with our flight schedule.'
The airline has endured years of financial strain, including mounting debt, operational losses and failed merger attempts. In 2024, it reported a net loss exceeding $1 billion.
The company's latest contraction could have ripple effects in the Bay Area, where Spirit operates several key routes out of Oakland and San Jose airports.
At Oakland International Airport, the airline flies to six domestic destinations, including Las Vegas, Newark and Orange County. In San Jose, Spirit has rapidly expanded its presence, now offering 13 daily departures — including twice-daily nonstop service to Hollywood Burbank Airport.
The airline did not respond to questions about whether specific routes would be affected.
'Spirit continues to shrink, and with it, the value of pilot seniority and Spirit careers continues to erode,' said Captain Ryan Muller, chairman of the Spirit unit of the Air Line Pilots Association, in a statement.
Meanwhile, the airline is working to shed its no-frills image, adding extra legroom seats and launching a Spirit-branded debit card as part of a broader bid to rebrand itself as a 'premium' low-cost carrier.
The company furloughed more than 500 pilots last year and is currently seeking to offload over 20 Airbus A320 aircraft.
