More than 4,000 employees at Florida-based Spirit Airlines lost their jobs after the airline permanently suspended operations on May 2, ending the ultra-low-cost carrier’s 34-year run.
The Orlando Business Journal reports that a notice filed with the state details about 4,050 layoffs. The filing found that 796 of those workers were based at Orlando International Airport.
The largest number of affected employees were at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, with 2,529 employees affected. Additional job cuts include 181 employees at Miami International Airport and 551 employees at the company’s support center in Dania Beach.
Spirit said in the notice that it could not provide further advance warning of the layoffs as it is actively pursuing new financing to avoid closure. The company said issuing a notice early could jeopardize its ability to secure the capital needed to continue operations.
The airline’s closure comes after negotiations with the federal government over a potential bailout broke down. Spirit is the first major U.S. airline in nearly 25 years to close due to financial problems.
Spirit previously filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in November 2024 and again in August 2025, indicating its continued financial condition. The company’s management initially expected it to emerge from bankruptcy in the second half of this year.
Spirit CEO Dave Davis said those plans fell apart as rising fuel costs worsened the company’s financial outlook.
“We needed hundreds of millions of dollars in additional liquidity to sustain our operations, and Spirit simply didn’t have it and was unable to raise it,” Davis said in a statement. “This is extremely disappointing and not the outcome any of us had hoped for.”
The airline has long maintained a significant presence in Central Florida. The airline has partnered with Orlando International Airport for more than 30 years and ranks as MCO’s third-busiest airline in 2025, serving approximately 6.19 million passengers.
But signs of trouble have emerged in recent months. Spirit plans to operate 2,173 flights out of Orlando in May, down nearly 40% from 3,613 flights in the same month last year, according to data from aviation analytics firm Cirium.
Airport officials say the broader travel market remains resilient despite Spirit’s decline. Angela Stark, MCO’s senior vice president of public affairs, said overall passenger traffic is flat or increasing as other airlines expand service and international travel recovers.
She noted that Spirit is the only carrier from Orlando to two destinations: Atlantic City, New Jersey, and Latrobe, Pennsylvania.
In the wake of the shutdown, other airlines have also stepped in to help evacuees. United Airlines said Spirit employees could use its travel benefits program to return home if needed, while Avero announced active hiring and encouraged affected employees to apply.
Customers who purchased Spirit tickets with credit or debit cards will receive refunds, while customers who used vouchers or loyalty points will have their claims processed through bankruptcy proceedings.
