April 17 (Reuters) – Spirit Airlines on Friday asked the Trump administration for hundreds of millions of dollars in emergency funding to offset rising fuel prices and stave off a possible liquidation, Air Current reported, citing people familiar with the matter.
• Executives from several low-cost carriers are expected to meet with the Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy early next week, according to the report.
• The Department of Transportation requested the meeting to review the financial health of the nation’s smaller airlines, it added.
• Spirit Airlines did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
• Spirit Aviation Holdings, the parent of Spirit Airlines, is undergoing a deep restructuring aimed at cutting costs and shoring up its finances after filing for bankruptcy twice within a year.
• The low-cost carrier filed for bankruptcy protection for the second time in August 2025 with a fleet of 214 aircraft. Florida-based Spirit emerged from its first bankruptcy in March last year.
• Last month, Spirit said it intends to reduce its fleet to 76 to 80 aircraft by the third quarter of 2026, primarily consisting of Airbus A320 and A321ceo jets.
• Surging jet fuel prices due to the war in the Middle East have upended the global aviation industry, forcing airlines to raise fares and revise their financial outlooks.
(Reporting by Megavarshini G. Somasundaram in Bengaluru; Editing by Maju Samuel)
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