American Airlines joins the Spirit Airlines bankruptcy case

After filing for Chapter 11 extortion for the 2nd clip successful August 2025, fund hose Spirit Airlines is continuing efforts to rework its floundering finances successful a mode that leaves astir analysts with important uncertainty astir its quality to enactment successful concern astatine all.

The Florida low-cost hose is expected to station losses that apical $804 cardinal by the clip 2025 is implicit arsenic it continues to embark connected a bid of much and much utmost cost-cutting measures, specified arsenic slashing dozens of routes, furloughing oregon downgrading much than 500 pilots, and pulling retired of markets similar Minneapolis and Portland entirely.

As it struggles betwixt the request to support up operations to bring successful funds and chopped expenses, Spirit besides backtracked connected a program to furlough an further 365 pilots successful the archetypal 4th of 2026 earlier this year.

“The institution has continued to beryllium affected by adverse marketplace conditions, including elevated home capableness and continued anemic request for home leisure question successful the 2nd 4th of 2025, resulting successful a challenging pricing environment," Spirit enactment wrote successful a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filing past month.

With galore competitors cautiously monitoring what comes adjacent for Spirit Airlines, American Airlines has taken the proactive measurement of requesting each aboriginal accusation related to its bankruptcy.

The Dec. 5 filing asks the Southern District of New York for support to person Spirit's operating reports, reorganization plans, and liquidation statements, among others. As reportedby aviation website View From The Wing, American is buying 2 of Spirit's gross slots astatine Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) aft the second importantly decreased its formation docket from the airport.

Related: After bankruptcy, Spirit Airlines is moving retired of time, money

Without commenting further, American confirmed to Reuters that the filing is portion of an "airport-specific agreement" related to Spirit.

Spirit has not provided a remark connected the concern but successful an October filing told the SEC that it was "actively moving to research each imaginable opportunities" and "engag[ing] successful discussions with a fig of funny counterparties."

As the hose has beardown marque designation amid value-seeking customers, a merger oregon acquisition is simply a much apt result than a implicit shutdown — Spirit has besides antecedently besides told investors that  “the worth maximizing result whitethorn beryllium a merger oregon merchantability of the company."