Spirit Airlines files for bankruptcy



Spirit Airlines, the budget airline beleaguered by gunfire in Haiti and incidents of violence involving passengers and staff alike, has now filed for bankruptcy.

In a letter issued Monday and addressed to "All Spirit Guests," Spirit admitted that it had filed for Chapter 11 in hopes of restructuring its debts. The letter called the move "a proactive step ... to position the company for success" and claimed it should be completed sometime in the first quarter of 2025.

The letter also indicated that the Chapter 11 filing had been "prearranged."

Spirit's standing as a publicly traded company is likely to change. Spirit told the Business Journals that it expects to be delisted from the New York Stock Exchange sometime soon.

According to the New York Post, the financial situation at the airline is quite dire. Spirit has already lost $2.5 billion in the last four years and within the next year will have to make debt payments totaling more than $1 billion.

In 2022, Spirit tried to merge with another airline. Frontier first attempted a merger but was soon afterward outbid by JetBlue.

The merger with JetBlue never took place either after the Biden-Harris Department of Justice intervened in March, claiming it would cause ticket prices to skyrocket. A federal judge later sided with the DOJ, and the two companies dropped the merger two months later, the Post reported.

In an effort to restructure its finances, Spirit bondholders have now offered $350 million in equity investments that will allow the company to "complete a deleveraging transaction to equitize $795 million of funded debt," the Jacksonville Business Journal reported.

Bondholders have likewise offered an additional $300 million in debtor-in-possession financing, the outlet added.

Spirit did not go into such details in the letter. Instead, it promised that its agreement with bondholders will "reduce [the company's] total debt, provide increased financial flexibility, position Spirit for long-term success and accelerate investments providing Guests with enhanced travel experiences and greater value."

The letter did indicate that the customer experience likely won't change much despite the major financial shifts behind the scenes. Customers may still purchase tickets and use credit or loyalty points as normal. Its rewards program and credit-card terms likewise remain in place.

Employee wages and benefits will also be unaffected by the Chapter 11 process, according to a website with further information about the case.

However, Spirit's corporate standing is likely to change. Spirit told the Jacksonville Business Journal that it expects to be delisted from the New York Stock Exchange sometime soon. Once that happens, its stock shares will "have no value as part of Spirit's restructuring," the outlet reported.

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Tuesday’s election will be a referendum on American capitalism



Will Joe Biden succeed in undermining the pillars of American capitalism? The Wall Street Journal reported on Oct. 13 that the November election could decide whether Biden’s push to break up American companies simply for being “big” will succeed in the long run.

The Journal is correct. This election isn’t just a referendum on what the Biden-Harris administration has done to entrepreneurs over the past four years; it’s also a vote on the future of America’s economy. Another four years of the status quo could turn Biden’s unconventional policies into economic and legal precedents, causing lasting damage.

Once-successful companies are closing stores and laying off workers due to the unprecedented anti-business environment fostered by this White House.

This issue centers on how, after taking office, Biden and Harris ensured the confirmation of Lina Khan, a progressive favorite, to lead the Federal Trade Commission. Khan quickly reversed 40 years of consensus on antitrust policy by overturning the consumer welfare standard, which had limited government intervention in the economy to cases where consumers faced harm. The Department of Justice, which shares antitrust enforcement with the FTC, soon followed her lead.

Under the Biden-Harris administration’s aggressive approach to antitrust, businesses can now be regulated, broken up, or even dissolved for reasons determined by the White House, regardless of whether they lower consumer prices or increase competition. Over the past four years, this approach has led to challenges against companies for simply being “too big.”

The good news is that the Biden-Harris administration has lost nearly every corporate challenge it initiated, as courts recognize its anti-capitalism agenda lacks legal grounding and is politically motivated. However, these challenges have still cost thousands of jobs and discouraged businesses from pursuing innovation.

When the Biden-Harris administration blocked mergers like Spirit Airlines-JetBlue and Roomba-Amazon, the results were disastrous. Roomba lost jobs and declared bankruptcy, while Spirit now teeters on insolvency due to the administration’s actions.

Despite these failures, Biden and Harris continue their push, as shown by a late September lawsuit against Visa.

In its latest campaign against capitalism, the Biden-Harris administration’s antitrust cops claim Visa’s debit market is an unchecked monopoly raising consumer prices. But this is far from true. Consumers have a wide range of choices, not only with other debit cards but also through peer-to-peer payment networks like Apple Pay, Cash App, and Venmo.

Payment volumes and the number of competitors in this space continue to rise steadily. In a capitalist economy, being a popular choice among consumers isn’t a crime, but the administration is acting as if it is.

By overturning the consumer welfare standard, the Biden-Harris administration has created the worst business climate since the Carter era. Once-successful companies — even large chains like 7-Eleven and Walgreens — are closing stores and laying off workers due to the unprecedented anti-business environment fostered by this White House.

With the November election now in clear view, voters face a crucial decision.

The Wall Street Journal noted that “it is a near certainty that [Khan’s] authority will end if Donald Trump wins the presidency, as many in the GOP favor more latitude for mergers and view Khan as too tough on business.”

Voters must make the right choice, as the continuation of this anti-business agenda could lead to incalculable long-term consequences for the free market.

As voters stand at this crossroads, the choice is clear. Will they back a government that prioritizes regulation over innovation, or will they support policies that encourage free markets and allow businesses to thrive?

The costs of staying the current course are evident — job losses, higher prices, and economic stagnation. A change in direction, however, could promise economic freedom, growth, and prosperity.

We’ll have the answer soon, but one thing is clear: The current path of overregulation and government interference is unsustainable. It’s time to empower businesses, foster competition, and create an environment where innovation can flourish for all Americans.

Let’s hope voters agree.

Video: 4 Baltimore airport workers suspended after all-out brawl at Spirit Airlines ticket counter



Wild video shows the moment that four employees of Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport brawl with a fifth man at the Spirit Airlines ticket counter. The airport workers were suspended for their part in the nasty fight.

Officers with the Maryland Transportation Authority responded to the brouhaha late Tuesday afternoon, according to TMZ.

Video shows four airport employees fighting a fifth man at the Spirits Airlines ticket counter around 4:15 p.m. on Tuesday.

The man was in a fighting stance as four airport employees confronted him. Suddenly, a worker wearing a white button-down shirt charges at the man and takes a wild, flailing punch. The workers gang up on the man.

He falls to the floor and workers punched, stomped, and kicked him. Another employee walked over and socked the man in the face while he was being held on the ground.

The Maryland Transportation Authority said one person suffered minor injuries.

The four ticket agents reportedly worked for a vendor of Spirit Airlines, but are not actual employees.

The vendor said all four employees have been suspended pending the results of the investigation.

Spirit Airlines said in a statement, "We are aware of an altercation that occurred in Baltimore (BWI) on May 28. Our vendor has suspended four of their employees involved pending an investigation into the matter. We do not tolerate violence of any kind, and we will take appropriate action as necessary following the completion of the vendor's investigation."

The Maryland Transportation Authority said in a statement, "All involved parties were provided with victims’ rights and services information, including information about filing criminal charges at the local commissioner’s office."

Neither the Maryland Transportation Authority nor Spirit Airlines responded to requests for comment about the all-out brawl by the Baltimore Banner.

(WARNING: Graphic video)

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Spirit Airlines fires gate agent who placed 6-year-old on incorrect flight



Spirit Airlines has now fired a gate agent who placed an unaccompanied minor on the wrong flight just before Christmas.

Last Thursday, 6-year-old Casper Ramos of Philadelphia was preparing to spend Christmas with his grandmother Maria Ramos. As Grandma Ramos lives in Florida, Casper was about to go on a plane ride for the first time ever. Family members dropped him off at Philadelphia International Airport and placed him in the care of Spirit Airlines, which assists unaccompanied minors ages 5 to 14 on direct domestic flights.

However, as Blaze News reported on Tuesday, somewhere along the way, there was a mix-up, and Casper ended up in Orlando, nearly four hours from his intended destination of Fort Myers. What's worse is Grandma Ramos didn't even learn about the mistake until Casper FaceTimed her from the Orlando airport.

"He goes, 'Mama, I'm in the airport.' I said, 'Give me an adult, Casper, that is with you.' He said, 'No, Grandma, I don't have anyone with me,'" Maria Ramos recalled, according to Fox 4 Southwest Florida.

Maria eventually spoke with an adult, learned that Casper was in Orlando, and hopped in her car to drive about 160 miles to pick him up. It was one of the scariest moments of her life, she said, and she began demanding answers.

She received at least some of those answers on Thursday when Spirit Airlines announced that it had fired the gate agent responsible for placing Casper on the wrong flight.

"To better understand what occurred, we immediately launched a thorough internal investigation and discovered that a gate agent in Philadelphia (PHL) escorted the child to the incorrect aircraft," the statement from Spirit read in part. "This agent is no longer working with Spirit, and any individual whose actions resulted in the incorrect boarding will be held accountable for failing to follow our procedures."

The statement also claimed that the airline has "policies and procedures in place to prevent this type of situation from happening" and that it has been "in communication with the child’s family about this matter."

The news has brought some relief for Maria. "I’m happy about getting answers after seven days," she said.

"They called me, and they told me, 'I’m sorry, it’s our mistake.' I guess they looked at the camera," she added.

Still, Maria told news outlets that she still wants to learn more details about the mix-up. "I want more, and I really want to see videos," she said. "I really want to see videos. I’m working with Spirit Airlines to get back with more answers."

In its initial statement about the incident, Spirit Airlines insisted that Casper "was always under the care and supervision of a Spirit Team Member, and as soon as we discovered the error, we took immediate steps to communicate with the family and reconnect them." It has also offered to reimburse Maria for the car trip, to fly Casper back to Philadelphia for free, and to give Maria a free round-trip ticket so that she can accompany him on the flight home.

The airline did not respond to the New York Post's request for further comment.

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Spirit Airlines places 6-year-old boy on wrong flight — and panic ensues: 'Where is my grandson?'



Spirit Airlines placed an unaccompanied 6-year-old boy on the wrong flight to Florida last week, which left the airline apologizing and the boy's grandmother frantic.

What are the details?

The child was supposed to fly from Philadelphia to Fort Myers on Thursday but was "incorrectly boarded" on a flight to Orlando, Scripps News said, citing reports.

"The child was always under the care and supervision of a Spirit Team Member, and as soon as we discovered the error, we took immediate steps to communicate with the family and reconnect them," the airline said in a statement CNN obtained, according to Scripps News.

The outlet said local news station WINK-TV spoke with Maria Ramos, who identified herself as the boy's grandmother: "They told me, 'No, he's not on this flight. He missed his flight.' I said, 'No, he could not miss his flight because I have the check-in tag.' I ran inside the plane to the flight attendant and I asked her, 'Where's my grandson? He was handed over to you at Philadelphia.' She said, 'No, I had no kids with me.'"

Not surprisingly, Ramos said it was one of the scariest moments of her life, Scripps News said.

Ramos added to the outlet that her grandson Casper called to say he landed. Problem was that Casper landed in Orlando — about 160 miles away from Fort Myers.

To add insult to injury, Good Morning America said Casper's luggage was placed on the correct flight and made it to Fort Myers.

Ramos added to the outlet that it was her grandson's first-ever flight.

After figuring things out, Ramos drove over three hours to get Casper, Scripps News said, adding that Spirit offered to reimburse her for the drive — but mainly Ramos wants answers.

"I want them to call me. Let me know how my grandson ended up in Orlando. How did that happen?" Ramos asked, according to the outlet. "The flight attendant ... did she let him go by himself? He jumped in the wrong plane by himself?"

Spirit said in its statement that it's investigating, Scripps News said: "We take the safety and responsibility of transporting all of our guests seriously and are conducting an internal investigation. We apologize to the family for this experience."

Family speaks out after 6-year-old placed on wrong flight youtu.be

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Video: Alleged pregnant woman who 'clearly smelled' of alcohol pummels Spirit Airlines employee



Video shows an alleged pregnant woman attacking a Spirit Airlines employee at the Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Georgia on Sunday night.

Police say that 29-year-old Que Maria Scott – from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct charges in connection with the alleged beat-down of a Spirit Airlines employee.

The woman went into a fury after she was told by the airline employee that she would not be able to board her flight because of her aggressive behavior, according to the New York Post.

The woman allegedly told the employee that she was from "West Philly" and was going to "beat our a**, other airport employees told police.

The police report stated, "Rhoden stated that the passenger made a statement to other passengers around that she will beat a b***h up if she does not get on the plane."

Witnesses said the woman was "irate and using abusive language toward others involved at the scene."

An airline employee called 911 to report an argument at the gate. As police were responding to the call, officers were reportedly notified that the dispute had escalated into a full-blown physical altercation.

Video catches the moment that a woman violently attacks Spirit Airlines employee Jasmine Rhoden. The attacker goes beyond a barrier and tackles the female employee to the ground. The pair tussle and kick each other while they are on the ground.

"Ms. Rhoden stated that Ms. Q. Scott put her boarding pass in one of her pockets, pulled up her sweat pants and proceeded to attack her by swinging her arms and hitting [the victim] on the left side of her face," the incident report noted. "[She] then stated that Ms. Q. Scott began to pull her hair at the scene and pulling her into a barrier that was at the location causing them to fall to the ground."

Eventually, three men rushed to break up the fight and separate the women.

A Homeland Security officer reportedly held Scott until police officers reached the scene.

After being arrested, Scott allegedly told police officers that she was six months pregnant.

"Rhoden stated that she clearly smelled alcohol on Ms. Q. Scott, even though Ms. Q. Scott claimed to be pregnant," according to the police report.

As she was being taken away in handcuffs, Scott said, "I didn't do nothing to nobody. You really just got me booked. It's cool. I'm gonna remember your face in my head forever."

Atlanta Police Department officers booked Scott into the Clayton County Jail early Monday. She was being held on $1,500 bond.

(WARNING: Graphic video)

\u201cThere was a fight yesterday at Atlanta Airport. They were both added to the no fly list. \ud83d\ude33\u201d
— Everything Georgia (@Everything Georgia) 1682954283

Spirit Airlines gate agent suspended after punching back



A Spirit Airlines gate agent has been suspended for his involvement in the brawl that took place on August 11 at the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport .

In a video captured inside Terminal E of the airport by witness Thomas Shannon, a Spirit employee (who the airline has suggested was contracted through a partner company) and a passenger can be seen embroiled in a verbal conflict that turned kinetic.

There is visual context missing from the video since Shannon had responded with camera in hand only after he heard the initial yelling. The commotion is said to be the result of a dispute at the gate.

The agent reportedly told police that the female passenger exited the jetway and began yelling that there was nowhere for her to sit on the plane. After allegedly telling her to join the line in order to speak to an agent, the agent said the passenger cut in line and became uncooperative, prompting him to take her boarding ticket.

The passenger told the Dallas Morning News that she "didn't do anything" and that the agent had torn her boarding pass in half, thereby setting the stage for what came next.

\u201chttps://t.co/jdLKLWR6Cj\u201d
— DTX Daily (@DTX Daily) 1660249692

"Don't touch me ever in your life," said the agent, identified in an DFW airport police report as Emmanuel Sullivan of Grapevine. "Don't ever invade my personal space."

The passenger, who has been reported to be Ayriana Davis of Fort Worth, responded by screaming, "Get out of my face." She proceeded to call the employee a "faggot," then followed up the remark with additional profanities, racial slurs, and physical contact.

Sullivan repeatedly told Davis to get out of his personal space, at which point she can be seen in the video giving him a forceful shove.

A male bystander intervened, initially creating some space between the two. However, as the space collapsed and the shouting continued, Davis managed to allegedly smack Sullivan over the bystander's shoulder.

Upon being struck, Sullivan roared: "Oh wait!"

The bystander tried to block the agent's charge, but Sullivan managed to break through and over to Davis, who had begun to flee. In the video, he tackles her to the ground, and despite another attempt by the bystander to intervene, punches the passenger in the side of the head.

Davis told reporters that after the fracas, she went to hospital with a fractured leg, abrasions, and swelling.

After the incident, Shannon — who caught it all on video — posed the question: "What happens when the woman strikes first and is throwing abuses and assaults? ... And what happens when the man snaps?"

Spirit Airlines told WFAA on August 12 that the airline "does not tolerate violence of any kind" and that the "vendor at DFW has suspended the agent."

Watch: Family with toddler, pregnant mom and special needs child ​kicked off Spirit Airlines flight​



A video went viral Monday showing a family being temporarily booted from a Spirit Airlines flight over alleged mask violations, sparking outrage on social media as a flight attendant was seen noting that the couple's 2-year-old was not wearing a facial covering while she was eating.

The airline said the situation had nothing to do with the toddler, but that compliance with the federal mask mandate was the issue.

What are the details?

Initial footage circulated online showed a flight attendant approaching a couple and asking them to "pick up [their] stuff" and get off the plane due to "non-compliance with the masks."

The husband and wife argue that they have been wearing their masks, and the attendant points to their toddler — who is seen eating with a spoon — and says, "she's not wearing a mask."

At that point, other passengers step in to defend the family, asserting that other young children on the flight had their masks off and that the parents had also been in compliance. The attendant then claims she's going to call the police.

WATCH THIS: A family was just kicked off a @SpiritAirlines flight from Orlando to NY, because their two-year-old ch… https://t.co/Z6jqYxBJzW
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911)1617642326.0

In a follow-up video, the father expressed his outrage over the situation, saying that the confrontation was planned before they even got on board and that "the whole plane was OK with it" but that "there was one African American that was not OK with it." The dad pointed out that his wife is pregnant, and said they also had their special needs son in tow.

More from the @SpiritAirlines flight. https://t.co/PMq2nArVWz
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911)1617642417.0

The father said in a later video that there was "a happy ending" and that they were back on the flight.

"I think they removed that steward that wanted us off for no reason," he added.

Happy ending for the family kicked off Spirit Airlines! Everyone got back on they kicked the flight attendant off i… https://t.co/RpIZhd01w2
— suzy (@suzy)1617651023.0

The Daily Mail reported that a male flight attendant who purportedly had an issue with the family was kicked off the plane, publishing a picture showing a black man walking while towing luggage as an apparent police officer walks ahead of the man.

But Spirit Airlines says there are a lot of untruths being reported about the incident.

A spokesman for the airline told TheBlaze:

I want to emphasize that this was not about a two-year-old. Social media videos only captured a small part of what happened today. This flight was delayed because of the behavior of adults, which happened prior to any videos. There is also no truth to claims that police became involved with or removed a flight attendant. Orlando police have stated publicly that, though present at the gate, they did not take an active role in this situation.

Spirit Airlines said in its official statement:

We're aware of incorrect information circulating about Spirit Airlines Flight 138 from Orlando to Atlantic City. The flight was delayed due to adults who did not comply with the federal mask requirement. We allowed the Guests to continue on the flight to their destination after assurances of compliance.

Anything else?

Spirit Airlines has made headlines twice before this incident over separate instances of booting autistic children from their flights due to noncompliance with masks.

Not again! Passengers physically attack Spirit Airlines employees who asked them to, um, make sure carry-ons are right size



We got spirit, yes we do! We got spirit — how 'bout you?

Spirit Airlines appears to be having quite the struggle with some its passengers of late.

What's been happening?

Let's see now:

Now what?

Well, we can add another donnybrook to the Spirit ledger. Video caught three passengers attacking two Spirit Airlines employees who asked them to — drum roll, please — make sure their carry-on bags were the right size before boarding their Sunday flight from Detroit to Atlanta, the New York Post reported.

Image source: New York Post video screenshot

Both airline agents were injured, and one was taken to a hospital, Spirit spokesman Field Sutton told the paper in an email regarding the incident inside Detroit Metro Airport.

"The agents asked the group to verify that their carry-on bags were sized appropriately for the aircraft prior to boarding, at which time the passengers became combative," Sutton told the Post.

He added to the paper that "the agents attempted to calmly defuse the situation but were physically assaulted by these passengers as they closed a door to stop them from boarding the aircraft."

What happened to the passengers in question?

Two of the passengers were arrested, and the third was cited and released, the Post said, citing Spirit Airlines.

"All of us at Spirit wish the agents a speedy recovery and thank them for their courage and professionalism. We also thank law enforcement for responding quickly and arresting those involved in the attack," Spirit Airlines said in a statement, according to the paper. "This violent behavior is completely unacceptable and has absolutely no place in airports or any other place of business. We will not tolerate abusive behavior of any kind, and these passengers will be banned from any future travel with Spirit."

Female passenger reportedly punches traveling mom in the face several times after kids kick her seat: 'You do what you gotta do'



Authorities arrested a 29-year-old woman after she reportedly attacked a fellow passenger on a Spirit Airlines flight, according to The Oregonian.

The woman reportedly punched the passenger — a mother who was traveling with her two young children — after her children purportedly kicked the back of the woman's seat during the flight.

What are the details?

The incident took place Sunday on an aircraft that had just landed at Portland International Airport in Portland, Oregon.

Authorities say Daydrena Jaslin Walker-Williams was reportedly removing her belongings from an overhead compartment when she hauled off and reportedly punched fellow passenger Nataly Hernandez in the face several times.

An arrest affidavit says that Walker-Williams claimed that Hernandez's children — ages 3 and 7 — reportedly kicked the back of Walker-Williams' seat during the flight.

Walker-Williams' attack — which took place in front of Hernandez's children — purportedly left the victim with contusions and a bloody lip, according to the affidavit, which was obtained by the outlet.

Walker-Williams told authorities that she had previously asked Hernandez to tell her children to stop kicking the seat. She also said that Hernandez reportedly struck Walker-Williams in the shoulder at least one time.

The outlet reported, "Walker-Williams said she didn't tell a flight attendant about the thump to her shoulder because her 'first reaction was to fight,'" according the affidavit.

Officers then told Walker-Williams that other people on the plane saw her pummel Hernandez, but did not see Hernandez hit her on the shoulder.

Walker-Williams' reply: 'You do what you got to do.'"

The Multnomah County District Attorney's office charged Walker-Williams with felony assault in the fourth degree as well as harassment.