Spirit Airlines to furlough 260 pilots as it defers deliveries of new Airbus jetliners
Discount carrier Spirit Airlines, which is struggling to return to profitability, announced Monday it is furloughing 260 pilots as it moves to defer the deliveries of new Airbus jetliners and adjust staffing amid the continuing grounding of planes for engine inspections.
“Unfortunately, we had to make the difficult decision to furlough pilots given the grounded aircraft in our fleet and our deferral of future deliveries,” said CEO Ted Christie in a statement made public early Monday.
The furloughs will start Sept. 1, the company said.
Ryan Muller, who chairs the Spirit contingent of the Air Line Pilots Association, which represents the airline’s cockpit crews, called the forthcoming furloughs “deeply troubling.”
He said the Spirit pilots’ master executive council is “exploring voluntary measures that could mitigate” the number of furloughs or the need for them.
Christie said in the company statement, “We are doing everything we can to protect team members while balancing our responsibility to return to positive cash flow and thrive as a healthy company with long-term growth prospects.”