Spirit plans to sell 20 planes, add Atlanta flights, recall 500 attendants
Financially-pressed Spirit Airlines, which is reorganizing in Chapter 11 bankruptcy, is taking steps to sell 20 of its planes in a court-supervised auction while recalling 500 flight attendants and adding seasonal service out of Atlanta.
Since filing a second bankruptcy petition in less than a year last August, management at the Dania Beach-based budget carrier has been operating on multiple fronts: cutting costs, realigning its network and recalibrating service so it has a broader appeal to travelers.
Seasonal Atlanta boost
On Tuesday, the company announced it intends to add service at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in April, using its 20th anniversary of serving the Georgia capital as a promotional peg.
“This is not to ‘bulk up’ ATL as a key hub — the flights are seasonal, based on demand,” a spokesman said in an email Tuesday.
In an offer with a two-day window, the airline is shaving 20% off base fares, but flights must be booked Wednesday and Thursday for travel March 15 through May 20, “excluding blackout dates.”