Latest news with #SpiritAirlines
San Francisco Chronicle
11 hours 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.
Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
JetBlue, United partnership gets go-ahead from U.S. Transportation Department
(Reuters) -JetBlue and United Airlines have cleared a review of their planned Blue Sky partnership by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) allowing them to proceed with the implementation, the companies said on Tuesday. The two companies in May unveiled a partnership that would allow travelers to book flights on both carriers' websites, while interchangeably earning and using points in their frequent flyer programs. Spirit Airlines in June had urged the U.S. transportation body to reject the collaboration between the two carriers, saying it was anticompetitive and would prompt other large carriers to pursue similar deals. JetBlue and United said that Blue Sky would begin introducing new customer benefits starting in fall 2025, rolling them out in phases. Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
Reuters
18 hours ago
- Business
- Reuters
JetBlue, United partnership gets go-ahead from U.S. Transportation Department
July 29 (Reuters) - JetBlue (JBLU.O), opens new tab and United Airlines (UAL.O), opens new tab have cleared a review of their planned Blue Sky partnership by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) allowing them to proceed with the implementation, the companies said on Tuesday. The two companies in May unveiled a partnership that would allow travelers to book flights on both carriers' websites, while interchangeably earning and using points in their frequent flyer programs. Spirit Airlines in June had urged the U.S. transportation body to reject the collaboration between the two carriers, saying it was anticompetitive and would prompt other large carriers to pursue similar deals. JetBlue and United said that Blue Sky would begin introducing new customer benefits starting in fall 2025, rolling them out in phases.
Skift
19 hours ago
- Business
- Skift
Hilton's Strategy Shift, Spirit's Furloughs and Sri Lanka's Fee Drop
On today's pod, we look at Hilton's biz travel shift, Spirit's pilot troubles, and Sri Lanka's fig leaf to travelers. Skift Daily Briefing Podcast Listen to the day's top travel stories in under four minutes every weekday. Listen to the day's top travel stories in under four minutes every weekday. Skift Travel Podcasts Good morning from Skift. It's Tuesday, July 29. Here's what you need to know about the business of travel today. Hilton has made changes to its corporate travel strategy, targeting small- and medium-sized businesses as part of its push to increase direct bookings, writes Senior Hospitality Editor Sean O'Neill. Travelers from those businesses now account for 85% of Hilton's corporate bookings, up from 76% in 2019. O'Neill notes the shift has been fueled both by faster post-pandemic recovery among smaller companies and Hilton's targeted outreach. The hotel giant last year launched Hilton for Business, a platform designed to deepen direct customer ties. Hilton also recently introduced a messaging platform across its global portfolio, enabling business travelers to communicate directly with hotels before, during, and after their stays. Listen to This Podcast Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Youtube | RSS Next, Spirit Airlines said on Monday it would furlough 270 pilots and reduce its flight schedule, writes Airlines Reporter Meghna Maharishi. Spirit said it was taking those steps as part of its efforts to return to profitability after exiting Chapter 11 bankruptcy in March. The furloughs will go into effect on November 1, and they come after the carrier furloughed 186 pilots last year partly due to Pratt & Whitney engine issues grounding part of its fleet. In addition, Spirit's pilots' union said 140 pilots will be downgraded to first officer, changes that will take effect October 1. Finally, Asia Editor Peden Doma Bhutia explains how Sri Lanka is making it easier for inbound tourists from 40 countries. The country is planning to removing all fees for visas from countries including the United States, Canada, Germany, and others, but it will still require foreigners to obtain them before entering the country. Sri Lanka has an ambitious goal to increase tourism to 3 million visitors in 2025, an increase of nearly 50% over 2024 numbers. The visa fee waiver expands on a smaller program rolled out in March 2023 that offered free 30-day visas on arrival for seven countries, including India, China, and Russia, provided travelers applied for electronic travel authorization in advance. Until now, most tourists outside South Asia have paid $50-60 for a short-stay visa.
Daily Mail
21 hours ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Spirit Airlines to furlough 270 pilots and demote another 140
Airlines were supposed to rake in record profits in 2025. Instead, another company is cutting hundreds of staffers. Spirit Airlines said on Monday it will furlough about 270 pilots while demoting another 140. It's the latest major move from the cash-strapped budget carrier, as it looks to scale down its workforce, downsized schedule, and return to profitability. The furloughs will go into effect on November 1, while designation downgrades for captains will take place on October 1, the company told Reuters in an emailed statement. 'We are taking necessary steps to ensure we operate as efficiently as possible as part of our efforts to return to profitability,' the airline said. The announcement, first reported by Bloomberg News, comes as Spirit tries to overhaul its business to move away from its no-frills image and rebrand as a premium airline. The Florida-based carrier had filed for bankruptcy protection last November, following years of losses, heavy debt, and failed merger attempts. It emerged from bankruptcy in March. The company needs fewer pilots to operate its flights, but that has sent off sparks inside the carrier. 'Spirit continues to shrink, and with it, the value of pilot seniority and Spirit careers continues to erode,' Captain Ryan Muller, chairman of the Spirit unit of the Air Line Pilots Association, said. Captain Muller added that this marks the third round of pilot furloughs and downgrades since September 2024. Spirit is not alone. Dozens of airlines have culled parts of their schedules, announced major layoffs, and cut back on financial expectations for 2025. The cuts have been particularly brutal for budget-friendly airlines.
