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Ex-Spirit Airlines<\/a> pilots are being hired to move the defunct airline\u2019s grounded fleet to aircraft boneyards in the US after the low-cost carrier collapsed<\/a> last week.\u00a0<\/p>\n Nomadic Aviation Group co-founder Bob Allen said his company had hired former Spirit Airlines pilots to ferry aircraft into storage after the carrier\u2019s shutdown.\u00a0<\/p>\n Final ferry flights offer \u2018closure\u2019 to ex-Spirit Airlines pilots<\/p>\n Describing the closure of the airline as like a \u201cdeath in the family\u201d, he said the ferry pilot work provided temporary income while also giving some pilots \u201cclosure\u201d by allowing them to operate the aircraft on their final flights.<\/p>\n \u201cIt helps a lot, not only putting some money in their pocket, but when you have this situation, some people need the closure,\u201d he told CBS News.\u00a0<\/p>\n Dozens of the yellow-liveried Airbus A320 family aircraft operated by Spirit have been moved over the last week.\u00a0<\/p>\n Some have been transferred from bases in Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport and Orlando International Airport to storage facilities in Pinal Airpark and Goodyear.\u00a0<\/p>\n There are more than a dozen Spirit aircraft at Goodyear alone. It is unclear what will happen to the aircraft.<\/p>\n Out-of-work Spirit Airlines pilots enter tightening jobs market\u00a0<\/p>\n While the employment market for members of the flight crew has remained strong since Covid, the Iran war and high oil prices are putting pressure on airlines, with some scaling back their operation as a result. The impact may be that there are fewer jobs to go around, just as a large number of highly trained and skilled pilots formerly working for Spirit are hunting for new flying opportunities.\u00a0<\/p>\n The sudden loss of the airline has put thousands of pilots out of work, and while temporary employment may be found with Nomadic and other ferry flight operators, the search for a permanent job starts now.\u00a0<\/p>\n One former employee, 39-year-old Texan Brandon Keene is among those experienced pilots now competing for a limited number of jobs.<\/p>\n He told local news outlet Fox 26 Houston: \u201cWhen I was furloughed a year and a half ago, it wasn\u2019t as bad because there were 500 of my peers to compete against.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cNow, we\u2019ve got 2,000-plus pilots flooding the market, and half of those are captains with turbine PIC (Pilot in Command) time. That\u2019s really valuable.\u201d<\/p>\n Spirit closure sent shockwaves through US airline industry\u00a0<\/p>\n![\"Spirit](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/AdobeStock_1126451185_Editorial_Use_Only-2-scaled.jpeg\")
Photo: KKF \/ stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n![\"Spirit](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/AdobeStock_1838383806_Editorial_Use_Only-scaled.jpeg\")
Photo: Markus Mainka \/ stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n
![\"Spirit](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/AdobeStock_1740704944_Editorial_Use_Only-scaled.jpeg\")
Photo: oasisamuel \/ stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n