ORLANDO, Fla. — On September 23, ultra-low-cost carrier Spirit Airlines announced plans to furlough 1,800 employees nationwide as part of its bankruptcy restructuring, with Central Florida being significantly affected.
In a notice filed with the state, Spirit indicated that 350 flight attendants based at Orlando International Airport will be furloughed starting December 1. Additional furloughs include 71 attendants at Miami International Airport and 309 at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.
“This furlough is expected to be temporary; however, we are unsure about its duration,” Spirit informed state officials in the filing.
The airline, based in Dania Beach, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on August 29, marking its second such filing in less than a year. Spirit reported a net loss of $245.8 million in the second quarter of 2025 and a 20% revenue drop compared to the previous year. Over the past 52 weeks, its stock has traded between 16 cents and 65 cents, opening at 35 cents on September 25.
“As part of our ongoing restructuring, we are taking measures to align staffing with our fleet size and expected flight volume,” a Spirit spokesperson stated. “We recognize the impact of this decision on affected team members, and we are committed to treating them with care and respect.”
Despite the staff reductions, Spirit is enhancing benefits for its Free Spirit Travel More Mastercard®, co-branded with Bank of America. Starting this week, primary cardholders can check up to two free bags on every Spirit flight booked through spirit.com or the airline’s mobile app. This benefit applies to bags weighing up to 50 pounds and includes sports equipment like golf clubs and skis.
“Our most loyal guests know they get the greatest value when they choose Spirit, and now the Free Spirit Travel More Mastercard makes flying with us even more rewarding,” said Rana Ghosh, Spirit’s senior vice president and chief commercial officer.
This new perk adds to existing cardholder benefits such as priority check-in and boarding, complimentary space-available upgrades, and a 25% rebate on inflight food and beverage purchases. New cardholders can also earn 50,000 bonus points and a $100 companion flight voucher after meeting certain spending requirements.
Orlando Remains a Key Market
Despite the furloughs, Spirit continues to be Orlando International Airport’s second-busiest carrier, serving over 7.83 million passengers in 2024 and capturing nearly 14% of the market share. Only Southwest Airlines carried more passengers through Orlando last year.
Industry analysts note that these layoffs reflect a broader national trend: U.S. employers announced nearly 86,000 job cuts in August, marking the highest level for that month since 2020, according to Challenger, Gray & Christmas.
