A Spirit Airlines Airbus A320 taxis at Los Angeles International Airport after arriving from Boston on September 1, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. Kevin Carter | Getty Images News | Getty ImagesSpirit Airlines CEO Dave Davis on Wednesday braced staff for more job cuts and said the carrier plans to slash its schedule in November to reduce costs weeks after declaring its second bankruptcy in less than a year.The airline is planning its November schedule and Davis told employees in a memo, which was reviewed by CNBC, that they will see a 25% cut in capacity over 2024 “as we optimize our network to focus on our strongest markets.”The carrier’s capacity was down a similar degree from when it came out of bankruptcy in March through the end of June, and the new cuts point to how the airline is thinking about its near-term schedule as it seeks to reduce costs. The struggling discount carrier is in negotiations with vendors and aircraft lessors, and is evaluating its fleet size, as it tries to shrink itself to find more stable footing, Davis said.”These evaluations will inevitably affect the size of our teams as we become a more efficient airline,” Davis wrote in his note to employees. “Unfortunately, these are the tough calls we must make to emerge stronger. We know this adds uncertainty, and we are committed to keeping you as these decisions are made.”Read more CNBC airline newsTrump administration orders Delta, Aeromexico to unwind joint venture by Jan. 1Spirit Airlines files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection for the second time in a yearSpirit Airlines is on shakier ground after avoiding hard decisions in bankruptcyHow much are Southwest’s new assigned seats? It dependsWhen asked how many of its employees would be affected, Spirit told CNBC in an email: “We have engaged our labor unions to discuss the impacts of the network and fleet adjustments on our Team Members, and we will share more as these discussions progress.”The airline has already announced furloughs and demotions of hundreds of pilots. Some flights attendants have already taken voluntary unpaid leaves of absence.”Although management has not yet indicated they will seek to make changes to our [collective bargaining agreement], our bankruptcy attorneys working alongside our AFA legal department are prepared for any next steps management may take,” Spirit flight attendants’ union, the Association of Flight Attendants-C …
