The shutdown of Spirit Airlines has left once-busy airport spaces quiet and hundreds of Central Florida aviation workers grappling with sudden job losses.At Orlando International Airport, the airline’s bag check area now sits largely empty — a stark visual of the abrupt halt to operations after more than three decades in the region.While many employees say they anticipated the closure, they emphasize that it has not softened the emotional or financial blow.“It’s heartbreaking,” said Dave Christ, who is ending a 20-year career as a pilot with the airline.Christ is among roughly 160 Orlando-based employees who lost their jobs Saturday when the company ceased operations.“We all wanted to retire out of this airline,” he said.For flight attendant Kamilah Labarrie, the loss is both professional and deeply personal. Her nine-year career with the airline followed a family legacy.“You don’t really understand how something so dear to you can just be ripped away from you so quickly,” Labarrie said.She said her mother spent nearly three decades working as a flight attendant for the same airline, shaping her own path in aviation from a young age.“I’ve been in this industry since I was 6 years old,” she said. “My mom was a 27-, almost 28-year flight attendant with Spirit.”Aviation experts say the ripple effects of the shutdown could extend beyond displaced employees, though the broader impact on travelers may be limited.Mike Hatton, a former commercial pilot and aviation safety expert, said airfare could see modest increases as demand shifts to other carriers.“Overall, prices may go up slightly,” Hatton said. “But when you spread it around the other four major airlines, the impact won’t be as much as people think.”He added that competing airlines may seek to attract former Spirit customers.“They want loyal customers — and maybe even loyal new customers,” Hatton said.For many former employees, the next step involves starting over in an industry where seniority determines schedules, routes and pay.That means new airlines, reset tenure and returning to entry-level positions.“We’ve gone through a lot of hard times,” Christ said. “I do believe, though, that we will all go out well and on our feet.”Airport officials said Spirit had operated out of Orlando International Airport for 33 years and that they are working with the airline to support affected workers during the transition.
ORLANDO, Fla. —
The shutdown of Spirit Airlines has left once-busy airport spaces quiet and hundreds of Central Florida aviation workers grappling with sudden job losses.
At Orlando International Airport, the airline’s bag check area now sits largely empty — a stark visual of the abrupt halt to operations after more than three decades in the region.
While many employees say they anticipated the closure, they emphasize that it has not softened the emotional or financial blow.
“It’s heartbreaking,” said Dave Christ, who is ending a 20-year career as a pilot with the airline.
Christ is among roughly 160 Orlando-based employees who lost their jobs Saturday when the company ceased operations.
“We all wanted to retire out of this airline,” he said.
For flight attendant Kamilah Labarrie, the loss is both professional and deeply personal. Her nine-year career with the airline followed a family legacy.
“You don’t really understand how something so dear to you can just be ripped away from you so quickly,” Labarrie said.
She said her mother spent nearly three decades working as a flight attendant for the same airline, shaping her own path in aviation from a young age.
“I’ve been in this industry since I was 6 years old,” she said. “My mom was a 27-, almost 28-year flight attendant with Spirit.”
Aviation experts say the ripple effects of the shutdown could extend beyond displaced employees, though the broader impact on travelers may be limited.
Mike Hatton, a former commercial pilot and aviation safety expert, said airfare could see modest increases as demand shifts to other carriers.
“Overall, prices may go up slightly,” Hatton said. “But when you spread it around the other four major airlines, the impact won’t be as much as people think.”
He added that competing airlines may seek to attract former Spirit customers.
“They want loyal customers — and maybe even loyal new customers,” Hatton said.
For many former employees, the next step involves starting over in an industry where seniority determines schedules, routes and pay.
That means new airlines, reset tenure and returning to entry-level positions.
“We’ve gone through a lot of hard times,” Christ said. “I do believe, though, that we will all go out well and on our feet.”
Airport officials said Spirit had operated out of Orlando International Airport for 33 years and that they are working with the airline to support affected workers during the transition.