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The Points Guy founder Brian Kelly discusses how Spirit Airlines’ bankruptcy could impact travel.<\/p>\n
President Donald Trump has doubled down on the idea of a taxpayer-funded takeover of Spirit Airlines rather than a traditional bailout, an approach critics previously described as highly problematic.<\/p>\n
Trump reaffirmed his interest in offering the airline a financial lifeline during a meeting at the Oval Office on Thursday, adding that the plan would involve reselling the carrier once oil prices decline.<\/p>\n
“We’re thinking about doing it, helping them out and meaning bailing them out or buying it. I think we just buy it,” he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“We’d be getting it virtually debt free. They have some good aircraft, some good assets, and when the price of oil goes down, we’ll sell it for a profit.”\u00a0<\/p>\n
TED CRUZ POURS COLD WATER ON TRUMP ADMINISTRATION PLAN TO BAIL OUT SPIRIT AIRLINES: \u2018TERRIBLE IDEA\u2019<\/p>\n
President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office at the White House on Oct. 6, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Anna Moneymaker\/Getty Images \/ Getty Images)<\/p>\n
The remarks came amid talks of a potential financial bailout involving a reported $500 million loan aimed at preserving thousands of American jobs and maintaining a budget-friendly competitor in the airfare industry.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“It’s in a bankruptcy,” Trump said. “It’s in bankruptcy court. And we’re looking if we could get it for the right price, I’d do it to save jobs.”<\/p>\n
Spirit Airlines has faced years of mounting financial challenges that have been pushing the company toward potential liquidation, including multiple Chapter 11 bankruptcy filings, failed merger attempts with other low-cost competitors, and rising operation costs driven in part by surging jet fuel prices linked to the conflict involving Iran.\u00a0<\/p>\n
BIDEN-SCHUMER-PELOSI WOULD DO MORE DAMAGE IN 2 YEARS THAN OBAMA DID IN 8: TED CRUZ<\/p>\n
Spirit Airlines airplanes at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Oct. 24, 2023. (Eva Marie Uzcategui\/Bloomberg via Getty Images \/ Getty Images)<\/p>\n
Trump said the strategy would be to put a “smart person” in charge to run the airline properly, wait for oil prices to drop, and then resell the company for a profit once it becomes a valuable asset again.<\/p>\n
“We have somebody that wants to run it, do a good job, smart person, and if they run it properly and if prices come down, all of a sudden it’s a valuable asset,” he said.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
A primary motivation for the potential takeover, Trump said, is to protect the livelihoods of what he estimated to be 18,000 staffers.<\/p>\n
Ticker Security Last Change Change % FLYYQ SPIRIT AVIATION HOLDINGS INC 1.11 -0.39
\n -26.00%<\/p>\n
He further emphasized that keeping a large number of airlines in business is important to maintain healthy competition within the industry.<\/p>\n
“I’d love to be able to save an airline,” the president added. “You know, I like having a lot of airlines. So it’s competitive.”<\/p>\n
He also pointed out that Spirit Airlines had attempted to merge with another airline years ago before the Obama administration had blocked the move, a decision Trump described as a mistake.<\/p>\n
JetBlue Airways planes sit on the tarmac at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport on January 31, 2024 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.\u00a0 (Photo by Joe Raedle\/Getty Images \/ Getty Images)<\/p>\n
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Spirit Airlines previously filed for bankruptcy on two separate occasions, in November 2024 and August 2025, amid mounting losses and unsuccessful merger talks.<\/p>\n
In late February, the airline announced that it had reached an agreement with its lenders to exit bankruptcy proceedings.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The company also introduced a revised business strategy aimed at expanding premium seating options and loyalty programs in an effort to improve financial performance while maintaining its low-cost brand identity.<\/p>\n
FOX Business’ Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report.\u00a0<\/p>\n
#Trump #proposes #taxpayer #takeover #Spirit #Airlines #bailout<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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