Spirit to Furlough a Third of Flight Attendants

DANIA  BEACH — Spirit Airlines (NK) will place roughly one-third of its flight attendants on involuntary leave as part of its latest restructuring in less than a year.

The budget carrier announced on Monday that it will furlough approximately 1,800 of its 5,200 flight attendants by the end of December, following steep financial losses, mounting debt, and reduced operations. More than 800 flight attendants are already on voluntary leave, according to Chief Operating Officer John Bendoraitis.

The cuts come alongside broader retrenchment: NK will exit 11 U.S. cities, including San Diego, Oakland, Portland, Sacramento, and Salt Lake City, and has canceled planned service to Macon, Georgia. The airline anticipates reducing its flight capacity by 25% in November compared to last year.

The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, which represents NK crews, confirmed the company is offering six- and twelve-month voluntary furloughs before imposing layoffs based on seniority. “The significant reduction of aircraft and flight hours requires a much higher reduction in force,” the union told members.

Spirit first filed for bankruptcy in November 2024, after incurring losses of more than US$2.5 billion since 2020, and refiled again last month as costs and debt continued to escalate.