What did the Spirit pilot contract provide?

In January 2023 CNBC reported, in an article on JetBlue's pilot contract extension, that Spirit pilots had approved a two-year contract that their union estimated to be worth around $463 million. Hourly pay scales from that contract were not found in a source that could be opened.3

How did pilot pay change in the second bankruptcy?

In December 2025 Spirit pilots ratified changes to their agreement by 82%, with 78.95% of eligible pilots voting, as part of the ongoing Chapter 11 restructuring. ALPA said pay rates and retirement contributions would be temporarily reduced from 1 January 2026, with full restoration through increases on 1 August 2028 and 1 January 2029 and retirement contributions fully restored by 1 July 2029. AirlineGeeks reported an 8% cut to hourly wages and a reduction in 401(k) contributions from 16% to 8%, with savings of about $100 million per year. Pilots also secured a $278 million unsecured bankruptcy claim, and the modified agreement ran to 31 December 2027.24

What happened to Spirit pilots during the restructuring?

Spirit was in Chapter 11 from November 2024 to March 2025 and filed again in August 2025. In December 2025 it dropped a plan to furlough 365 pilots on 31 January 2026 and cut the number of captain downgrades from 170 to 25. On 9 March 2026 it recalled approximately 500 pilots furloughed between 1 September 2024 and 1 November 2025, to bases in Fort Lauderdale, Orlando and New York-LaGuardia. In April 2026 ALPA said pilots and flight attendants had contributed $100 million in concessions and put the pilot group at nearly 2,000.567

What happened when Spirit shut down?

Spirit cancelled all flights on 2 May 2026 after a $500 million rescue package could not be finalised, and chief executive Dave Davis pointed to the rise in fuel prices. ALPA said the closure was a devastating blow to more than 2,000 pilots. Spirit then asked the bankruptcy court to let it end its obligations to staff 401(k) and healthcare plans, while some former pilots were hired temporarily by Nomadic Aviation Group to ferry aircraft back to lessors.18910