Spirit Airlines Set To Furlough An Additional 365 Pilots In Early 2026

Over the past couple months, Spirit Airlines has announced increasingly high employee furloughs and even demotions as it fails to achieve profitability despite the financial “lifeline” it secured in late 2024.

The latest update is that 365 pilots will be furloughed in the first quarter of 2026 with 170 pilots being reduced in status, according to Reuters. The airline is also rejecting roughly 90% of the upcoming deliveries from its biggest aircraft lessor.

Spirit’s Roster Cuts Get Worse

The airline filed for bankruptcy for the second time in less than a year, this August. Company leadership reportedly stated that the carrier would need to reduce operating costs by $100 million per year to stabilize its business. The airline is also dropping large numbers of equipment and facility leases alongside the staff cuts.

Spirit currently employs approximately 2,400 pilots. The airline already furloughed 330 pilots this year and plans to cut another 270 next month. In December, the flailing low-cost-carrier (LCC) also plans to cut approximately 1,800 flight attendants, or one-third of its total cabin crew staff. Spirit is also backing out of 12 airport leases and 19 ground handling contracts.

In a September 30 press release that announced the airline would receive $475 in financing from bondholder, Dave Davis, President and Chief Executive Officer, remarked:

“These are significant steps forward in a short period of time to build a stronger Spirit… I’m incredibly proud of our Team Members for continuing to rise to the occasion and take great care of our Guests.”

Hard Times For The Spirit Team

The airline is expected to lay off or terminate corporate and support staff in parallel with the massive cuts to aircrew. The maintenance facilities in Baltimore and Chicago are also expected to be closed by the end of the year. Spirit claims that these decisions will reduce its expenses by $211 million.

The staff cuts come with a 25% reduction in capacity for the airline’s total operations, according to CBS News. The carrier’s estimated losses in 2025 exceeded $800 million, and Spirit claims that it will not achieve profitable business until 2027. Spirit has described the current market as unfavorable to affordable air travel, with most Americans choosing not to fly for leisure and the ones that do are opting for premium flying experiences.

Flight attendants were asked to volunteer for furlough leaves of six or 12 months before involuntary cuts began. The volunteer numbers have already reached 800, which CNBC reports was the maximum according to John Bendoraitis, Spirit’s chief operating officer. The volunteers will retain medical benefits via the union, the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA.

Spirit is negotiating with the Air Line Pilots Association to reach a $100 million savings in labor costs but also stated that it can seek financial relief outside the bounds of the labor contracts it has with the pilots. Ultimately, the situation is grim for many of the airlines’ employees.

Is An End In Sight?

A decision by the Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York on October 10, 2025, made $200 million in funds immediately available to Spirit. The ruling regarded Spirit’s agreements with its largest aircraft lessor, AerCap Ireland, and included a $150 million payment to Spirit alongside the cancellation of 27 Airbus aircraft leases. The Spirit Airlines fleet is currently 150-strong, according to Planespotter.net, so that number represents nearly 20% of total airframes.

Spirit hopes to cut its losses by around 80% next year and make over $200 million in profit the following year, 2027. The plan is essentially based on cutting capacity and shedding operating costs like payroll to course correct. The airline is considering new fare options and changes to its service model as it has struggled in the post-COVID air travel market.