Amid the sea of debts generated by the shuttered Spirit Airlines after its Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing, the pile of unpaid bills owed to Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport now amounts to approximately $3 million, according to a court filing by the Broward County Attorney’s Office this week.
The tally isn’t over. Now, according to the filing, the delinquent amount could reach as high as $6 million.
County lawyers assert Spirit “has failed to pay post-petition gate fees, landing fees, and other charges due and owing to the County as owner and operator of the Debtor’s hub airport, the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport [“FLL”],” according to the filing. “Approximately $3 million is now delinquent.”
Meter is running
“Additional fees and costs will come due in the coming weeks,” the filing adds. “The County anticipates the total unpaid, post-petition amount due will be approximately $6 million.”
At the same time, the county voiced another concern: Whether Spirit’s now-vacated departure and arrival spaces at Terminal 4 are available to other airlines that want to expand or start operations at the airport.
According to the filing authored by Senior Assistant County Attorney Scott Andron on behalf of Broward County Attorney Andrew Meyers, the county asked Spirit for its position on whether the company intended to “reject” or cancel two long-standing contracts that allowed the airline to operate at the airport.
One is a lease agreement for Spirit’s use of Terminal 4. The other allowed Spirit to use other airport facilities. The agreements have been in place since 2011.
A Spirit attorney, according to the filing, informed the county for the first time this week “that they believe the estate already has rejected their contracts with the County, but the basis for that statement is unclear at this time. The County will continue to attempt to amicably resolve as many issues as possible prior to hearing.”
As of Thursday, however, Spirit had yet to submit a court filing reflecting its position. A company spokesperson declined comment.
Widespread interest
Broward County Mayor Mark Bogen has publicly declared since Spirit’s collapse that other carriers — notably budget airlines Allegiant Air, Breeze and Frontier Airlines — have expressed interest in renting the space. The mayor was traveling Thursday and not immediately available for comment.
But the court filing suggests that until the lease question is resolved, the unused terminal space will hamper the airport’s business, narrow growth prospects for other airlines, and limit choices for travelers.
In 2025, Spirit led all airlines in the number of passengers served at the airport with more than 9 million, a 28.1% market share. At the conclusion of the first quarter of 2026 — months after it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in August 2025 — the budget carrier still led the pack with a 24.5% market share.
On May 2, the Dania Beach-based budget airline stopped flying after failing to secure a U.S. Government bailout, which it sought after concluding that war-driven spikes in fuel prices had made its planned exit this summer from Chapter 11 untenable. The move grounded dozens of planes, stranded passengers in multiple cities, resulted in the immediate layoff of 17,000 employees and left airport terminals across the country vacant, including the airline’s vast space at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International.
On May 8, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Sean Lane in New York approved a company request to wind down the business, which triggered a phase of the case where creditors are now seeking a final accounting and payment of debts, including the transfers of various leased properties.
“Until the County can terminate the lease and re-let the property, other airlines cannot ramp up flights to use the preferential gates or other facilities currently tied up by the Debtor,” the county said in its bankruptcy court filing. “The effect is not only reduced revenue for FLL, but also a barrier to growth and expansion for the other airlines, and fewer flight options for the public. This reduces the supply of flights, likely pushing up prices for the traveling public.”
The departure area that Spirit Airlines vacated at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport is seen after the airline shut down on May 2. The defunct carrier is now delinquent on rents and other fees to the tune of $3 million, according to a court filing by the Broward County Attorney’s Office. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
The county attorney’s office declined comment on Thursday.
Absent rulings from U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Sean Lane ordering Spirit to pay its airport debts and clarify the status of its airport agreements, the county is requesting permission to pursue its claims in state court. It is currently precluded from doing so by a “stay” of litigation made possible by the U.S. Bankruptcy Code.
The next scheduled Spirit hearing before Judge Lane is May 27, according to the court file.