that’s what happened to the Branson kid alright. Sure couldn’t tell him that, after they pealed him off that cliff.

I learned you could adjust the mixture of a 152 through the oil service access door and then secure it with chewing gum. Came in very handy later in life.

The source is CNBC….. and Bloomberg …… and Wall Street Journal.


I hope it doesn’t happen, but it is looking more likely.



.

We’ll talk about that later, if you come back.

Also, playing jams on a tape deck strapped to your leg can alter space time.

I don't see anything on WSJ, Reuters, etc (no Bloomberg subs).

All those articles are a result of the original Bloomberg article's 'insider source familiar with the matter'.

I wonder if that insider source also pitched a United and American merger earlier this week?

Seems like speculative articles like this come out right when Spirit's facing crunch time. Last time was when continued DIP funding was in doubt, articles came out saying other airlines were expecting a shutdown and getting ready to increase capacity.

https://www.wsj.com/business/airline...surge-4a9f9dba

https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/sto...TCnRVOUpkZShQ3

https://www.reuters.com/business/aut...sk-2026-04-16/

Spirit executives didn’t even deny it though.. they just said no comment. If it wasn’t true and I hope it’s not, then you’d think they would have said so.

"Those goofy bastards are about the best thing I've got going..."

From Reuters:

I read the Citibank filing. The situation is dire and they are out of compliance with the revolver. The plan calls for further shafting of the revolver lenders, which due to the structure of the revolver supersedes bankruptcy proceedings. They can call the entirety of the revolver and seize the collateral (engines parts and slots) at any time, which may be the death knell.

The deadline to object to Spirits plan has been extended, which is also alarming. And several filings, including by the US Govt. trustee, have pointed out substantial deficiencies in the reorganization plan, disclosure statement, and the circumspect timing of Spirits filings

This is one of the finest posts I've seen on this site. Well done.

In the 2010's I sat in on every earnings call they had. Every quarter, YOY growth, and CASM-ex decreasing. 10%-15% margins. Every new market they entered, they generated new traffic, upwards of 30%, from a completely new customer base that the airlines at that time didn't serve (ie Greyhound riders). Doug Parker referred to them as "our Spirit problem". They were coming for AA and I assume factored into his directives in cheapening the airline in an attempt to lower costs to better compete with what he saw as their next competitor.

Guessing the P&W thing really is what killed them, and then combined with the jetBlue merger getting called off. Then throw in the post-Covid inflation adjustment for wages where the bottom tiered workers handling bags etc at Spirit were making wages much closer to mainline wages. Terrible sequence of events. Had you told me 10 years ago Spirit would be on the verge of liquidating I would've laughed.

Incidentally that specter is still haunting them. Part of the collateral non compliance is how they value engines:
Three engines must be valued at zero but are currently being represented at market rate for an operating engine.

Sounds like fraud

NK did well as a ULCC. Then they tried to run the operation like a mainline carrier. A ULCC has to be cost conscious always. NK lost their way in that regard and they’ve been struggling since. P&W didn’t help, COVID didn’t help, management didn’t help, employee wage contracts out-priced their market, bad press for customer conduct. I think NK lost their way. Good luck to all.

Basic Economy is what killed spirit

Doug Parker has a great recent discussion on Airlines Confidential about how transformative Basic Economy (and cabin segmentation in general) has been. The airlines found a way to serve price sensitive customers and simultaneously take care of their high margin customers on the same flight.

When the majors can price compete with a ULCC but only for ULCC passengers ... the ULCC loses.

This is exactly what happened! The legacy carriers, through basic economy, took away the ULCC pricing elasticity forcing the price the ULCC could charge. Why on earth would you fly Spirit when you could buy a BE ticket on any legacy carrier and receive first and foremost, a semblance of customer service along with many other perks! I guess if you are willing to forego the fight in the back you may be exposed to other more enjoyable experiences!

Thats not even a new thing. Robert Crandall invented “yield management” in the 80s when the legacies faced the exact same set of circumstances from the likes of New York Air, People Express, Air Florida and the like.

AA was a huge innovator in data crunching, and had one of the very first computerized
reservation systems, and was able to very effectively parse that data to manage inventory of very low fares in response. Their methods drove the low cost carriers to the brink of extinction. Not quite all the way, as People Express was bought by Continental, and UALs EWR operation is the direct descendant.

The question as to why this lesson had to be re-learned by the majors is the big mystery.

Looks like they are meeting with Government next week looking for a lil help.


https://theaircurrent.com/airlines/s...lout-dot-fuel/

I think everytime you get a new generation in charge, they believe they are smarter than the previous! They don’t take the time to learn the history and feel like they are re-inventing the wheel and it will work this time around because, well its them doing it not someone else! Sounds an awful lot like what’s happening in some of our larger cities doesn’t it!

Fake news as usual. Not liquidating this week.

They fill up every plane but when you sell the tickets for 39 bucks and attract low end customers, it’s going to be hard to turn a profit

Maybe. It's now reported they're asking Trump for a bailout.

and they won’t get a direct bailout, not should they.. A facilitated merger of a few of them maybe..

F9,JBU,NK? 🤔 idk. They’re all heading to DC next week.

the low cost sector is fundamentally broken. Something pretty big is getting set up. So much news and rumblings coming out that more consolidation is coming down the pike.

With the big IF that the meeting happens, I bet they are pitching DC to allow all 3 to merge.

In an effort to promote solidarity with their passengers, NK management is asking to pay for fuel with their EBT.

Doesn't look like it. Three major news organizations were reporting it, yet it never happened. Hilarious (that they were so wrong; glad Spirit is still around).

I don't see anything about Jetblue going, only Spirit, Frontier, Allegiant, and Avelo.

I forgot they aren’t covered under the LCC super pac. No idea then. Let’s see how it all shakes out 🍿

It is broken. It’s being actively exposed. That’s where the consolidating will be. Not United. But someone is merging and getting acquired.

So we’re going to take several unprofitable companies with an unprofitable business model and merge them into a larger company with the same unprofitable business model and expect different results?

but they will have “synergies!”

Let’s merge them and then introduce a bunch of government money. It worked out great for the British auto manufacturers in the 1970s. Look how many British built Triumphs and Austin cars you see these days.

No. They’re all actively changing their models. But consolidation of two failing airlines into one massive one is how Delta came to power. The LCC space will get their own round of consolidation.

Do you have a link? I didnt see anything in writing who was attending

this is exactly what’s going to happen. F9 NK JB merger and the govt will throw a little operating cash in the deal. They will look good for saving the low cost market for consumers as none of them will survive on their own.

These articles read like another attempt at getting some clicks and it managed to get some traction this time so we're talking about it again. When Spirit goes, it'll be like Silver. One day we'll walk past their counter/gate, and they just wont be there. Damn shame for their people but hopefully everyone has their apps out and logbooks updated.