Spirit Airlines’ $3.3 Billion Debt Crisis: Can Planned Bankruptcy, Route Cuts, And Shedding Aircraft Keep It Flying?

by Gary Leff

Oct 04 2024

Spirit Airlines is in talks with bondholders about a pre-packaged bankruptcy that would allow the airline to reduce debt in exchange for equity. This move would potentially allow the carrier to reject leases on aircraft grounded due to engine problems. Twenty one Airbus narrowbodies are currently in storage (or heavy maintenance) out of 94 with Pratt & Whitney Geared Turbo Fan engines, according to Cirium fleet tracking data.

Out of $3.3 billion in debt, one third of that comes due in under a year, and it must refinance or extend the debt by October 21 under covenants with its credit card processor agreement.

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Are Airlines Penalizing You For Trying To Spend Your Miles At The Holidays? Here’s What The Data Shows.

by Gary Leff

airplane seats
Oct 03 2024

Points Path is a free browser extension that lets you search for award flights using Google Flights. When you search for paid travel, it also shows you the price of an award. And if helps you compare whether it’s a good use of points or not. I covered it earlier this year.

One thing about tools like this is that they accumulate a lot of data from their searches. And they’ve organized things so that they can mine that data for insights.

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American Airlines Finally Makes Gifting Elite Status Affordable: Here’s What You Need to Know

by Gary Leff

Oct 02 2024

A year and a half ago American AAdvantage introduced the ability to redeem miles to gift status for a day. The status you’ve earned unlocks the ability to do this. However in my view it was too expensive to be useful. American heard that feedback and has adjusted down mileage costs significantly. An American spokesperson offers, Beginning today, Oct. 2., AAdvantage status members will notice a better deal on mileage redemptions to give the Gift of status for a day. American introduced the Gift of status for a day in 2023 to continue to give members more ways to use their miles and give their friends or loved ones a chance to experience the benefits of status. Now a year in, American is adjusting the mileage redemption amount to provide even more members with an…

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Flights Diverted Yesterday To Avoid Iranian Missiles After They Failed To Close Its Airspace Before Launching Attack

by Gary Leff

Oct 02 2024

Iran fired around 200 ballistic missiles at Israel on Tuesday. However, they failed to close their airspace prior to the launch. With no NOTAM issued, their skies were full of commercial airliners, with several observing the launches. On this one from Dubai the missiles were filmed coming from an IRGC base in South Shiraz.

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