Navigating Turbulent Times Facing softer demand and the imminent grounding of multiple aircraft due to Airbus engine concerns, Spirit Airlines has decided to freeze training for new pilots and flight attendants starting next month. This decision extends the airline’s earlier move to decelerate hiring and captain promotions.
Operational Adjustments Greg Christopher, the Vice President of Flight Operations at Spirit, revealed in a recent memo that the suspension of new crew training initiatives will commence in November and will remain in place indefinitely. Furthermore, Spirit conveyed to its flight attendants that from Nov. 7 onwards, there will be a halt in new training initiatives for the foreseeable future. As an added measure, the airline is contemplating offering voluntary leave options to cabin crew members, as outlined in a separate note by Tina Milton, the Vice President of Inflight Experience.
A Delicate Decision A representative from Spirit Airlines acknowledged these changes, emphasizing the gravity of the decision. He stated, “This is not a decision we’ve taken lightly, but it’s necessary to ensure our crew staffing levels match our operational need given the number of aircraft we can fly.”
The Airbus Engine Dilemma Spirit’s decision is influenced, in part, by a predicament concerning the Airbus A320neo aircraft engines produced by Pratt & Whitney, a unit of RTX. After identifying a manufacturing flaw in August, the airline foresees grounding an average of 26 Airbus A320neo planes for thorough inspections. The potential groundings might escalate to 41 by December of the upcoming year.
The Financial Strain Adding to Spirit’s woes, the airline recently reported a net loss of $157.6 million, amplifying its loss from the previous year by more than fourfold. This bleak financial outlook also shadows the airline’s predictions for the concluding quarter of the year.
CEO Ted Christie expressed his concerns, noting that while discounted fares persist up until the pre-Thanksgiving period, the expected resurgence in demand and pricing stability for peak holiday seasons remains elusive.
An Acquisition in the Offing? Amidst these challenges, JetBlue Airways is attempting to seal an acquisition deal with Spirit. However, the Justice Department is opposing this merger, and a trial determining the fate of this acquisition is slated to commence shortly.