A Spirit Airlines aircraft undergoes operations in preparation for departure on the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Austin, Texas, on Feb. 12, 2024.
Brandon Bell | Getty Images
Spirit Airlines is planning to furlough about 1,800 flight attendants, roughly a 3rd of its cabin crew members, to chop costs because the budget airline struggles in its second bankruptcy in lower than a yr.
“As we work to return Spirit to profitability, we face difficult decisions about our network, our fleet, and ultimately our workforce,” John Bendoraitis, Spirit’s chief operating officer, wrote in a memo sent to flight attendants on Monday, which was reviewed by CNBC.
CNBC reported last week that CEO Dave Davis had warned staff about job cuts as Spirit looks to shrink its fleet in an effort to stabilize its business.
Some 800 Spirit flight attendants have already been out on voluntary leaves of absence, which has helped the airline avoid involuntary furloughs, Bendoraitis said.
“Nevertheless, there may be a limit to how many individuals can volunteer for these kind of leave, and we now have reached that mark,” he said.
The airline will first offer voluntary furloughs, so the ultimate variety of cabin crew members who will likely be affected wasn’t immediately clear. Flight attendants can apply for voluntary furlough leaves of six or 12 months and can retain medical advantages, their union, the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, said in a note to members on Monaday that was also reviewed by CNBC.
AFA said it’s working with union chapters at other airlines to assist affected flight attendants get “preferential interviews” with other carriers. Involuntary furloughs will take effect on Dec. 1, AFA said.
Spirit didn’t immediately comment on the furloughs.
Spirit has also furloughed tons of of pilots, and executives told the airline’s pilots’ union that it’s looking for $100 million in cost cuts from its aviators.
Bendoraitis told the union, the Air Line Pilots Association, last week that that management is “available to proceed to barter every single day thereafter to succeed in a consensual agreement” by Oct. 1. Under the bankruptcy process, nonetheless, the airline could find relief outside of the pilots’ labor contract.
