Thousands of Spirit Airlines workers were blindsided when the budget carrier quietly turned off the lights for good — and now a group of them is fighting back in court.
Six former Spirit employees filed a proposed class-action lawsuit in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York, alleging the airline owed them wages and benefits following its abrupt closure on May 2. The sudden shutdown left approximately 17,000 workers jobless overnight.
Spirit’s collapse had been brewing for months. The airline had been struggling financially and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in late 2024, attempting to restructure its debt and find a path forward. After a failed merger deal and an inability to secure new financing, the company ultimately announced it would cease all operations, grounding its fleet and stranding passengers at airports across the country.
The lawsuit centers on alleged violations of the WARN Act — the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act of 1988 — which requires companies with more than 100 employees to give at least 60 days’ advance notice before mass layoffs. Employees who don’t receive that notice may be owed up to 60 days of back pay and benefits.
What makes the lawsuit particularly pointed is the claim that senior leadership actively discouraged workers from believing the worst was coming. As recently as April 16 — just two weeks before the shutdown — management allegedly told employees to “ignore the rumors that Spirit was near a termination point.”
Adding to the frustration, some employees say they still haven’t received their final paychecks, even as Spirit sought court approval for $10.7 million in executive retention bonuses.
This is an important case seeking to vindicate the rights of Spirit Airlines employees who suddenly lost their jobs,” said attorney Eric Lechtzin, who is representing the plaintiffs. “We are committed to obtaining the compensation the law provides and to holding Spirit accountable.”
A Spirit spokesperson told PEOPLE that final paychecks “remain in process” while an audit is completed, adding: “The company is finalizing these paychecks as soon as possible and will process payroll once the audit is complete.”
