Spirit Airlines Discontinues Service to 12 Cities Following Second Bankruptcy Filing

WASHINGTON — Spirit Airlines has confirmed it will be ending service in 12 cities less than a week after the discount carrier announced it was filing for bankruptcy for the second time this year.

The budget airline confirmed on Thursday it would be discontinuing service the week of Oct. 2 in the following cities: Albuquerque, New Mexico (ABQ); Birmingham, Alabama (BHM); Boise, Idaho (BOI); Chattanooga, Tennessee (CHA); Columbia, South Carolina (CAE); Oakland, California (OAK); Portland, Oregon (PDX); Sacramento, California (SMF); Salt Lake City, Utah (SLC); San Diego, California (SAN); and San Jose, California (SJC). The airline said it was also scrapping plans to launch service in Macon, Georgia (MCN), which was scheduled to begin Oct. 16.

“As part of our efforts to transform our business and position Spirit for long-term success, we are adjusting our network to focus on our strongest performing markets,” a Spirit spokesperson said in an emailed statement. “We are grateful to the airports, business partners and community members in these markets who welcomed and supported us. We remain committed to offering high-value travel options and will continue to serve dozens of destinations throughout the U.S., Latin America and the Caribbean.”

The airline said it will be reaching out to affected guests to notify them of their options, including a refund.

Spirit, known for its bright yellow planes and no-frills service, has had a rough ride since the COVID-19 pandemic, struggling to rebound amid rising operation costs and its mounting debt. By the time of its first Chapter 11 filing in November, Spirit had lost more than $2.5 billion since the start of 2020.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.