More than 4,000 Florida-based employees of Spirit Airlines lost their jobs after the company permanently ceased operations on May 2, marking the end of the ultra-low-cost carrier’s 34-year run.
According to a report from the Orlando Business Journal, approximately 4,050 layoffs were detailed in a notice filed with the state. The filing shows that 796 of those workers were based at Orlando International Airport.
The largest share of impacted employees were located at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, where 2,529 workers were affected. Additional layoffs included 181 employees at Miami International Airport and 551 workers at the company’s support center in Dania Beach.
In its notice, Spirit said it was unable to provide more advance warning of the layoffs because it was actively pursuing new funding to avoid shutting down. The company stated that issuing earlier notice could have jeopardized its ability to secure the capital needed to continue operations.
The airline’s closure follows the collapse of negotiations with the federal government over a potential rescue package. Spirit becomes the first major U.S. airline to shut down due to financial issues in roughly 25 years.
Spirit had previously filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in November 2024 and again in August 2025, signaling ongoing financial strain. Company leadership had initially projected an emergence from bankruptcy later this year.
Spirit CEO Dave Davis said those plans unraveled as rising fuel costs worsened the company’s financial outlook.
“Sustaining the business required hundreds of millions of additional dollars of liquidity that Spirit simply does not have and could not procure,” Davis said in a statement. “This is tremendously disappointing and not the outcome any of us wanted.”
The airline had long maintained a significant presence in Central Florida. It partnered with Orlando International Airport for more than three decades and ranked as the third-busiest carrier at MCO in 2025, serving approximately 6.19 million passengers.
However, signs of trouble had emerged in recent months. Data from aviation analytics firm Cirium showed Spirit planned to operate 2,173 flights out of Orlando in May—down nearly 40% from 3,613 flights during the same month last year.
Airport officials say the broader travel market has remained resilient despite Spirit’s decline. Angela Starke, senior vice president of public affairs at MCO, said overall passenger traffic has held steady or increased due to expanded service from other airlines and a rebound in international travel.
She noted that Spirit had been the sole carrier from Orlando to two destinations: Atlantic City, New Jersey, and Latrobe, Pennsylvania.
In the wake of the shutdown, other airlines have begun stepping in to assist displaced workers. United Airlines said Spirit employees could use its travel benefits program to return home if needed, while Avelo Airlines announced it is actively hiring and encouraged affected workers to apply.
Customers who purchased Spirit tickets with credit or debit cards are expected to receive refunds, while those who used vouchers or loyalty points will have their claims handled through the bankruptcy process.
