A Spirit Airlines aircraft undergoes operations in preparation for departure at 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 third of its cabin crew members, to cut costs as the budget airline struggles in its second bankruptcy in less than a year.
“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.
“However, there is a limit to how many people can volunteer for these types of leave, and we have reached that mark,” he said.
The airline will first offer voluntary furloughs, so the final number of cabin crew members who will be affected wasn’t immediately clear. Flight attendants can apply for voluntary furlough leaves of six or 12 months and will retain medical benefits, 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 is working with union chapters at other airlines to help 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 hundreds of pilots, and executives told the airline’s pilots’ union that it is seeking $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 continue to negotiate every day thereafter to reach a consensual agreement” by Oct. 1. Under the bankruptcy process, however, the airline could find relief outside of the pilots’ labor contract.
