Trump administration blames Biden for Spirit Airlines downfall

The Trump administration has blamed Spirit Airlines’ demise on former President Joe Biden after the airline canceled all flights in the middle of the night.

Spirit has endured a tumultuous ride since it became the first budget airline over three decades ago.

The airline filed for bankruptcy twice, and an attempt to merge with JetBlue failed in 2024 after the Justice Department under the Biden administration blocked the multi-billion-dollar merger.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy blamed Spirit’s downfall on the Justice Department’s decision, writing in a statement: ‘Yet another mess the traveling public has to inherit thanks to the radical policies of Joe Biden and Pete Buttigieg.

‘In blocking the Jetblue/Spirit merger in 2024, they turned their backs on the American consumer and our great aviation workforce,’ he continued.

‘Regardless of how we got here, the Trump Administration is committed to taking care of you and your family when you fly. In a matter of hours, we’ve activated our airline partners to ensure passengers are not stranded, communities maintain route access, fares do not skyrocket, and Spirit’s workforce is connected to new job opportunities.’

He reiterated comments speaking to reporters at Newark Airport in New Jersey on Saturday morning.

Spirit announced just before 3am on Saturday that the airline would start ‘winding down its global operations, effective immediately.’

Spirit Airlines canceled all flights in the middle of the night on Saturday. Pictured above is a departure board at Orlando International Airport 

Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy blamed the Biden administration in a statement after news broke that Spirit would be disbanding. He’s pictured above at a summit in March 

Secretary Duffy said that the Trump administration was committed to helping those impacted by the news. Trump is pictured above at a speaking event in Florida on Friday 

The airline said that, in addition to canceling all flights, customer service would no longer be available, passengers would not be able to rebook with another airline, and refunds would be processed automatically.

‘We are proud of the impact of our ultra-low-cost model on the industry for the last 33 years and had hoped to serve our guests for many years to come,’ the airline added. 

Multiple airlines have announced that they would offer assistance to passengers scheduled to fly Spirit. 

Frontier said on Friday that they were preparing to help impacted passengers ‘with a focus on helping people continue their travel plans with low-fare options.’ 

JetBlue also announced on Friday that it would help passengers who were affected by the news. 

Since stranded passengers may be forced to book with higher-budget airlines, the DOT has said that ticket prices will be capped for Spirit customers for flights on United, Delta, JetBlue and Southwest. 

The fares will only be available for a limited time. JetBlue and Southwest are offering reduced costs for the next 72 hours. 

Spirit released a statement online in the early hours of Saturday, announcing that global operations were winding down 

Stranded passenger affected by the news will be automatically refunded for their flight. Pictured above is an operational update posted at the Orlando International Airport 

Customers looking to book with Southwest will have to purchase their new ticket in person at an airport. 

Delta is offering capped ticket prices for the next five days, while travelers can purchase seats with United for the next two weeks. 

Spirit’s update has not only caused a headache for customers scrambling for alternative accommodations but also left thousands without jobs. 

About an hour before the official announcement, the Association of Flight Attendants notified its members that the airline would cease operations at 3am EST, CNN reported. 

The AFA has set up a resource page for Spirit flight attendants who are now out of a job. 

American Airlines and United are also creating microsites for Spirit employees seeking new positions. 

Spirit’s staff, including flight attendants and pilots in need of a way home, are set to receive travel pass benefits and spare jump seats from most major US carriers, according to the DOT. 

Spirit’s customer service team has also been disbanded. Pictured above is an empty bag-drop counter at the Orlando International Airport 

Customers have been forced to contact other airlines to rebook flights. A ticket counter at Detroit Metro Airport is pictured above after the announcement 

Desperate attempts to save Spirit 

Spirit’s last flight comes after a long battle to save the budget airline. The company has struggled to churn a profit since the pandemic, when travel restrictions were put in place. 

Even after restrictions were lifted, travel took a backseat as many Americans faced financial hardship amid a crumbling economy. 

Larger airlines were able to bounce back from the pandemic by cutting flights and increasing costs, but Spirit’s reputation for low-budget travel prevented it from doing the same. 

The company started bleeding money, losing over $2.5 billion from 2020 to 2024. They reported a negative free cash flow of $1 billion at the end of the second quarter in 2025.  

JetBlue and Spirit reached a merger agreement in 2024 valued at $3.8 billion, but the Justice Department blocked the deal. 

The department sued to stop the merger, arguing that it would reduce competition and drive up fares. Spirit then filed for bankruptcy again in August of 2025. 

Spirit Airlines CEO Dave Davis, pictured above, said the decision to close operations came after rising fuel prices 

Spirit announced that all flights were canceled and its customer service was shutting down. An employee is pictured above posting the notice at Orlando International Airport  

Spirit filed for bankruptcy twice before ceasing all operations on Saturday. A merger with JetBlue also failed in 2024 to save the airline 

The Trump administration had previously been in talks to save the airline in bankruptcy court. 

The president said on Friday that he was ‘looking’ at a deal and a final proposal was given. 

However, a source familiar with the negotiations told CNN that a key group of creditors rejected the plan because it would have given the government a majority control of Spirit’s shares. 

Dave Davis, Spirit’s President and Chief Executive Officer, said in a statement that an agreement was reached in March, but rising fuel prices prompted the company to disband.

‘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,’ Davis said. 

The AFA had initiated a campaign to save the airline. The union shared several flight attendants’ stories on Friday to advocate for a deal. 

Darlene, a flight attendant with Spirit for four years, said being a flight attendant allowed her to support her household and care for her 81-year-old mom. 

‘Every flight, I try to make a real impact; whether that’s helping a nervous passenger feel safe, creating a moment of joy for someone who needs it, or just showing up for my crew on long, challenging days,’ she said. 

‘Spirit Airlines provides opportunities for people like me to build a life, support our families, and serve communities that rely on affordable travel.’ 

Darlene, a flight attendant for Spirit for four years said working for the airline allowed her to care for her family, including her elderly mother 

The AFA advocated for Spirit to continue operations amid negotiations talks 

Spirit’s greatest hits 

Spirit broke the mold for air travel, emerging over three decades ago as the first budget airline. 

Its existence paved the way for people to book trips who otherwise may not have been able to afford travel.

However, its low-cost prices, infamous yellow branding and the outlandish behavior that often occurred on Spirit flights became synonymous with the airline. 

In 2020, Spirit passengers made headlines when three Philadelphia women were caught on camera throwing phones, shoes, water bottles and even fast food at airline staff. 

In March of 2025, a video went viral of a female flyer named Rachel being dragged away from the airline’s desk after she was removed from a flight before boarding. 

During the incident, which took place on August 30, 2023, authorities quickly grabbed Rachel as she repeatedly screamed: ‘Take me to jail! Take me to jail!,’ before falling to the floor. Officers then tackled and handcuffed her as she continued to shriek.

Two women named Teresa and Tara told the Daily Mail in 2024 that they were told to ‘cover up’ by a male flight attendant on Spirit Airlines 

Another woman went viral that same year for recording a video that appeared to show an employee applying tape to the aircraft’s wing before takeoff.  

In 2024, two women made headlines after they claimed they were kicked off their Spirit flight by a male flight attendant for wearing crop tops. 

Teresa and Tara told the Daily Mail at the time that they were told to ‘cover up’ after taking off their sweaters on the plane. 

The airline also took heat for introducing a dress code last year that banned trashy looks. 

The rule dictated that a guest ‘shall not be permitted to board the aircraft’ if they are ‘barefoot or inadequately clothed.’

Among the examples of inappropriate travel outfits included were: see-through clothing, exposed breasts, buttocks, or other private parts; lewd, obscene, or offensive clothing and tattoos. 

The regulation came after multiple instances of passengers wearing inappropriate attire.  

Another instance of a bizarre interaction on a Spirit flight was in July, when a 16-year-old went viral after he made a ‘bomb’ joke referring to his ‘masculinity,’ prompting a police response on the flight.