CLEVELAND, Ohio – Spirit Airlines filed for bankruptcy protection early Monday, a move that isn’t likely to impact many Cleveland travelers.
The low-cost carrier, known for its low fares and add-on fees, once flew to as many as a dozen destinations from Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. It’s currently down to a single daily flight to Fort Lauderdale.
In a letter to customers Monday, Spirit reiterated that it will continue to fly while it reorganizes its debt under a Chapter 11 filing in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in New York.
“You can use all tickets, credits and loyalty points as normal,” the letter said. “The most important thing to know is that you can continue to book and fly now and in the future.”
The bankruptcy filing Monday comes after the carrier was unsuccessful in renegotiating its debt. The airline last posted a profit in 2019, before the COVID pandemic brought air travel to a standstill.
Earlier this year, the Justice Department blocked a proposed merger between Spirit and JetBlue Airways, citing antitrust concerns. Two years earlier, Spirit had entertained merging with rival Frontier Airlines.
In recent weeks, Spirit and Frontier reportedly revived merger talks, although those broke down last week, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Spirit has flown from Cleveland since early 2015, shortly after United Airlines closed its hub at Hopkins airport. Since then, it has flown to as many as a dozen destinations from Cleveland, battling fellow low-cost carrier Frontier Airlines in a competition for price-sensitive travelers.
Frontier has clearly won the battle in Cleveland, currently flying to 24 destinations from Hopkins airport.
Spirit this month suspended service between Cleveland and Orlando, leaving the carrier with just the Hopkins-to-Fort Lauderdale flight. Earlier this year, Spirit eliminated routes from Cleveland to Atlanta, Miami, Las Vegas and Los Angeles.
Spirit said it expected to emerge from bankruptcy in the first quarter of 2025. It noted, “Other airlines that are operating successfully today have undertaken a similar process.”