By Tavon N. Thomasson
Special to the AFRO
tthomasson@afro.com
Spirit Airlines’ closure on May 2 sparked widespread disappointment across social media, with many Black travelers and employees reflecting on the airline’s affordability and overall impact.
The shutdown came after the company reached a restructuring agreement with bondholders that would’ve allowed it to continue operating. However, a sustained spike in fuel prices and ongoing financial pressures ultimately left the airline without the capital needed to remain in business.
“Sustaining the business required hundreds of millions of additional dollars of liquidity that Spirit simply does not have and could not procure. This is tremendously disappointing and not the outcome any of us wanted,” said Dave Davis, Spirit’s president and chief executive officer, in the press release.
“I want to thank the Administration, in particular Secretary Howard Lutnick and the U.S. Department of Commerce, for their extraordinary efforts to try to preserve jobs and service across the country,” Davis continued in the press release.
Reports indicate that roughly 17,000 employees are now without jobs, prompting many to reflect on their time with the company on social media.
“After 10 years of being a flight attendant at Spirit Airlines I can’t even put into words how I’m feeling but if I could I’d say that my heart is truly [broken],” wrote Dahlia Fountain on Facebook. “This might be the end of an era but certainly not the end of all my beautiful memories.”
Those experiences are part of why many former employees cherish their time working at the company.
“Spirit gave me so much: new experiences, my best friend, who became my Maid of Honor, the opportunity to live in another state, friendships I would have never made, the ability to travel back and forth when my grandfather was sick, and so much more,” wrote Courtnei Edgerson on Facebook. “I’m so grateful I got to experience so much before trading my wings in for motherly duties.”
Many Black travelers also voiced frustration over the shutdown, describing the airline as one of the more affordable options within the industry.
“Spirit airlines had limited interruptions, the newest planes and pretty good customer service. The one visible ‘offense’ was that they catered to Black people,” wrote Angela Donahue on Facebook. “There were people who used them faithfully due to pricing. You tell me why they are shutting down.”
For Rashida LaShawn, the appeal of Spirit Airlines was its affordability and the opportunities it gave her to travel on a budget without spending the amount of money she otherwise would have, even if the experience wasn’t always luxurious.
“Spirit gave me access to travel back and forth—especially to Atlanta—for what felt like little to nothing. I’m talking $50 to $125 round-trip most times,” LaShawn wrote on Facebook. “Because of that, I was able to see family, spend time with friends, and simply move in a way that might not have been as easy otherwise.”
Even travelers who never stepped foot on a Spirit aircraft could eventually feel the effects of the airline’s absence, as its budget-friendly prices helped keep airfare costs competitive overall.
According to a Business Insider analysis of Cirium data,“airfares rose an average of about $19, or 14%, across the roughly 90 routes Spirit exited between 2024 and 2025.” That marks a significant increase compared to markets that Spirit still operates in, where airfare prices typically rose “about six to seven percent.”
For many Black travelers and former employees, the closure of Spirit represents more than the loss of an airline, but the disappearance of an affordable travel option and economic opportunity, which may not be easily replaced.