Spirit Airlines will lay off 270 pilots and demote 140 more as part of a reduced schedule

Spirit Airlines (FLYY.A), which has opened a new tab, announced Monday that it will lay off roughly 270 pilots and demote another 140. The financially strapped low-cost airline is trying to reduce its workforce in order to accommodate a reduced schedule.

In an email to Reuters, the business said that the furloughs will begin on November 1 and that captain designation downgrades would begin on October 1.

“We are taking necessary steps to ensure we operate as efficiently as possible as part of our efforts to return to profitability,” said the carrier.

First reported by Bloomberg News, the revelation comes as Spirit attempts to restructure its operations in order to shift from its low-key image to a premium airline.

The Florida-based carrier had declared bankruptcy in November of last year after years of losses, high debt, and unsuccessful merger attempts. In March, the company came out of bankruptcy.

The Air Line Pilots Association’s Spirit unit chairman, Captain Ryan Muller, stated that this is the third round of pilot furloughs and downgrades since September 2024. “Spirit continues to shrink, and with it, the value of pilot seniority and Spirit careers continues to erode,” he added. In an effort to maintain pilot careers and limit the extent of the furloughs, the union stated that it is drafting a third Furlough Mitigation Memorandum of Understanding to explore voluntary alternatives.