Just had a look as well and noticed there is quite a few now showing Spirit Airlines as the owners with latest certification of 05/03/2025.

Hmmm…

 

So now the important question is how many months until liquidation occurs. The whole value proposition of Spirit is they have assets (planes and revenue potential) that another airline would want enough to acquire the airline.

Because Spirit could not sell these 20 odd planes, that means the value of these assets is incredibly low - the domestic US market for aircraft is saturated. Now consider that the an acquisition of Spirit means acquiring its debt as well and the conclusion is obvious. Unable to sell planes piecemeal, Spirit will have no choice but to declare chapter 7 and liquidate in a fire sale. The debt holders will be completely wiped out, with now equity or any other compensation. The aircraft will be sold to foreign airlines for pennies and the capacity will leave the domestic US market.

I felt bad giving up my seniority but today it looks like the best decision I ever did after the merger was struck down. The reality is this industry is indeed stacked in favor of American, Delta, and United. A JetBlue-Spirit merger was struck down as anticompetitive. Now United is beginning the process of acquiring JetBlue, and Spirit will be fully liquidated no later than the end of 2026.

To my friends and former colleagues, you need to put your applications out NOW to one of the Big 3. You are already behind the power curve. In the event you can't get on with one of the Big 3 before Spirit liquidates you need to start networking again for anything that will keep you in the left seat - think regional DEC if that is still available by the time Spirit is gone. That will at least allow you to keep adding 121 PIC while you wait for a Big 3 phone call.

 

You need to relax. Your jump to conclusions mat game is too strong today.

There are plenty of other places to fly than the big 3.

 

My point is the past actions of the government favor the current oligopoly structure of the industry. If you want a minimum amount of career stress in a Part 121 passenger airline, you have NO CHOICE but to go to one of the Big 3. Full Stop.

You can go elsewhere, but that elsewhere will eventually liquidate if they compete with the Big 3, or be acquired by them. Save yourself the pain and just go to the winners.

 

Sounds like your new hat is a little too tight. That's cool you like your new shop, but coming back to your ex and pointing out all the reasons why your decision to leave is "justified" makes you look sad.

 

Doesn't mean he's wrong though.

 

oh it’s just a troll trying to get a reaction out of us

 

“Or be acquired by them” - so why would we leave?

There’s more to flying than part 121 young one.

 

Then what makes him/her right? His rant is based off of an unfounded rumor of an airplane transaction falling through. Based just off of that it means the “big 3” are the end all be all of the industry?

Now, maybe the sale didn't pan out, there are more than a handful of reasons why it didn’t. We know he/she doesn’t have any sort of inside information, if they did, they wouldn’t be sharing it here.

 

we need to get them flying ASAP and pick up the capacity the big three are pulling out of the market. Full on blitz. I’m still flying full and over sold planes…