Trump raises prospect of federal support or merger as Spirit Airlines
struggles with costs and debt
[April 22, 2026] By
RIO YAMAT
President Donald Trump on Tuesday suggested that the federal government
could help keep a struggling Spirit Airlines afloat, while also
encouraging a buyer to step in and rescue the budget carrier.
“Spirit’s in trouble and I’d love somebody to buy Spirit. It’s 14,000
jobs,” Trump said in a CNBC interview. “And maybe the federal government
should help that one out.”
The ultra low-cost carrier filed for bankruptcy protection in August for
the second time in less than a year and was aiming to exit in late
spring or early summer after striking a preliminary deal with lenders.
That plan was quickly disrupted when U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran
sent oil prices soaring above $100 a barrel, with jet fuel costs
doubling in some markets as the fighting in the Middle East continues to
disrupt global oil supplies.
Spirit’s relatively young fleet has made it an attractive acquisition
target. But previous buyout attempts from budget rivals like JetBlue and
Frontier were unsuccessful both before and during Spirit’s first
bankruptcy.
Trump did not offer details on what type of government aid could be
provided. But asked separately on Tuesday about potential government
relief, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy told reporters that the
president had directed the department to review possible options.
“He’s directed us to take a look. I’ll have a conversation with the
president later today,” Duffy said, adding that he was also meeting with
some of the budget carriers later Tuesday.
The Associated Press sent emailed requests for comment to Spirit.
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The tail of a Spirit Airlines Airbus A320 is shown as the plane
prepares to take off from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International
Airport, Jan. 19, 2021, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo
Lee, File)
 Congress has stepped in to authorize
federal support for airlines before, most notably after the Sept. 11
terrorist attacks and during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Already weakened by soft domestic demand and persistent losses,
especially since the pandemic, Spirit has come under growing
financial strain as the higher fuel costs have added fresh
uncertainty about its ability to continue operating.
Against that backdrop, the union representing Spirit flight
attendants sought to address growing concerns in a memo sent last
Thursday to members.
“There have been speculative reports of liquidation. While we want
to make it clear that conditions have worsened, at this time there
are ongoing efforts to keep Spirit operating," the Association of
Flight Attendants said. "We know you need the best possible
information on this and we will keep you closely advised. But to be
clear, at this time there is no definitive decision to halt
operations.”
Budget carriers like Spirit — known for its bright yellow planes and
no-frills service — have been under pressure by bigger airlines,
which have rolled out their own low-cost offerings. By the time of
its first Chapter 11 filing in November 2024, the Florida company
had lost more than $2.5 billion since the start of 2020.
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