Can Spirit Airlines Survive?

Can Spirit Airlines Survive?

Author: Skift August 28, 2025 Duration: 27:19
In part one, Jay and Meghna discuss the prospects of Spirit Airlines as it struggles to revive. In part two, the conversation turns north to Air Canada and its path ahead following a costly, peak-season flight attendant strike. Five Key Takeaways Spirit Airlines faces existential risk – with bankruptcy, liquidation, merger, or recovery as possible paths, but its ULCC model looks increasingly unsustainable in today’s market. Structural industry shifts hurt ULCCs – post-pandemic demand favors premium and international travel, squeezing carriers like Spirit and Frontier that rely on dense domestic leisure routes. Air Canada’s strike shows labor power – flight attendants achieved rare wins like boarding pay, setting precedents for North American labor negotiations. Financial impact on Air Canada is major – losing nearly a quarter of annual operating profits during peak season could drag down 2025 results despite prior momentum. Fleet and strategy decisions loom – Air Canada’s choice between Airbus and Boeing for widebody replacements could shape its competitive and political positioning in the next decade. Follow the Hosts: Gordon Smith – ⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠ Jay Shabat – ⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect with Airline Weekly LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/airline-weekly/⁠⁠⁠ X: ⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/Airline_Weekly/⁠⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/airlineweekly/⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/⁠⁠⁠ WhatsApp: ⁠⁠⁠https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠@SkiftNews⁠⁠⁠ and never miss an update from the airline and travel industries.

Step inside the Airline Weekly Lounge, a podcast from Skift where the editors behind the industry publication gather for a deeper, more conversational look at the world of commercial flight. This isn't just a recap of headlines; it's a focused exploration of the complex forces shaping how airlines operate, compete, and ultimately survive. Each episode digs into the week's most intriguing developments, from fleet strategies and route networks to labor dynamics and the evolving culture of travel, always with a keen eye on the bottom line. The central, driving question remains: how do carriers actually turn a profit in this famously volatile business? You'll hear analysis that connects financial results to real-world operations, discussing everything from premium cabin innovations and loyalty program economics to airport politics and environmental pressures. The tone is informed and accessible, peeling back the layers on both major global network carriers and regional players. For anyone curious about the business realities behind their boarding pass, this podcast offers a regular dose of context and clarity, revealing the intricate balance of economics, service, and strategy that keeps the industry aloft. Join the editors in the lounge for a perspective that goes beyond the news cycle.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 423

Airline Weekly Lounge
Podcast Episodes
JetBlue-Spirit Merger Goes to Court [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:56
It’s official: The U.S. Justice Department just sued to block JetBlue and Spirit from merging. Will it win? That’s anyone’s guess, but JetBlue CEO Robin Hayes said he plans to fight the regulator. Edward Russell and Jay…
How the Ukraine War Changed Aviation [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:06
Airlines face wide-ranging fallout from Russia's invasion of Ukraine a year ago in February. The biggest is the airspace closure, but the war has also triggered a surge in global energy prices while western sanctions are…
Singapore and Copa Wow With Strong Results [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:14
Singapore Airlines and Copa Airlines were two champions of the December quarter with standout financial results. What set them apart from the pack? Edward Russell and Jay Shabat discuss on the Airline Weekly Lounge. Read…
Spirit Airlines' Earnings Woes [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:03
Spirit Airlines lags other U.S. airlines in financial performance. In fact, it lost money last year while most of its peers produced profits. Can it fix its cost problems and restore order? Edward Russell and Jay Shabat…
So Long to the Boeing 747: Mini Episode [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 7:29
A goodbye to the Boeing 747, the Queen of the Skies. The planemaker delivered the last off the line of the iconic jumbo jet to Atlas Air on Tuesday. Reading List Skyfaring: A Journey with a Pilot by Mark Vanhoenacker Atl…
The Thick of Fourth Quarter Airline Earnings [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:36
It's a busy earnings week with American, Southwest, Alaska, and JetBlue all reporting. Edward Russell and Jay Shabat preview what they're listening for ahead of the airline calls on Thursday, January 26. Plus, EasyJet's…
United Comes Out Swinging [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:12
Was that a hint of an Irish accent when United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby took down the U.S. industry for being unprepared for the post-Covid operating reality? Edward Russell and Jay Shabat discuss. Plus, the U.S-China ai…
Airlines Enter Earnings Season [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:49
Welcome to fourth quarter airline earnings season. Oil prices have come down from the peak of the year but labor costs are climbing as the system of pulleys and levers that determine the industry's costs continue to fluc…
Southwest's Holiday Debacle [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:21
Southwest Airlines had a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad holiday season. The cancellation of 15,000-plus flights between Christmas and New Years will weigh on its fourth quarter results, but consumers' memories are…
The Airline Stories We'll Be Following in 2023 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:55
It's been quite the year in aviation. From Covid variants to staffing shortages and flight disruptions, and industry dealmaking, 2022 took us for some interesting turns — but then what year does not? Edward Russell and J…