Spirit Airlines Network Chief Kirby To Depart

Spirit Airlines’ vice president of network planning John Kirby will retire at the end of August, closing out a more than 40-year career in aviation that included leadership roles at several major U.S. carriers.

Kirby joined the airline in December 2018, replacing longtime Spirit veteran Mark Kopczak. During his tenure, Kirby oversaw a period of rapid network expansion and helped to solidify the ULCC’s dominant position in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He previously held senior planning roles at Alaska Airlines, Southwest Airlines and AirTran Airways.

“John is an incredible partner who has played a pivotal role in shaping Spirit’s network,” says Spirit Senior Vice President and CCO Rana Ghosh. “As we celebrate John’s retirement, we are also in the process of selecting his successor to ensure a seamless transition.”

His departure comes as Spirit works through a post-bankruptcy restructuring plan and seeks to accelerate revenue growth amid a challenging domestic leisure market. The carrier, which emerged from Chapter 11 in March, has warned of “substantial doubt” about its ability to continue as a going concern within 12 months unless it can meet liquidity requirements tied to its debt obligations and credit card processing agreements. To raise cash, Spirit has pursued sale-leasebacks, considered monetizing assets including airport gates and announced pilot furloughs.

The ULCC is also leaning heavily into its Fort Lauderdale hub, where it plans to serve more than 70 destinations by the end of 2025. Earlier this month, the airline announced its first new international routes since bankruptcy—Fort Lauderdale to Belize City, Belize, and Grand Cayman in the Cayman Islands—marking seven new destinations added this year. Network pullbacks, however, have included significant reductions in Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Dallas-Fort Worth.

The carrier has also introduced premium product upgrades across most of its fleet, completing installation of new extra-legroom seats on about 160 Airbus narrowbodies by the end of July. Spirit believes the changes will help capture higher-yield customers and compete more directly against legacy carriers at nearby Miami International Airport.

Operationally, Spirit ended the first half of 2025 with 215 Airbus A320-family aircraft—although utilization remains constrained by Pratt & Whitney geared turbofan engine issues that are keeping about 40 aircraft out of service on average this year. In the second quarter, Spirit reported an 18.1% negative operating margin and a $245.8 million net loss, as revenues dropped more than 20% year over year.