A Spirit Airlines airplane taxis for takeoff at Denver International Airport in Denver on Feb. 7, 2022.
Michael Ciaglo | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Spirit Airlines will droop training for new pilots subsequent month “till additional discover,” in keeping with an organization memo, because it plans for slower development amid softer demand and the anticipated grounding of dozens of plane for inspections due to a manufacturing problem with some Airbus planes’ engines.
The firm had already slowed hiring and captain upgrades, Greg Christopher, vp of flight operations at Spirit, mentioned Thursday in a memo to pilots, which was seen by CNBC. “With these latest developments, nevertheless, we can even be suspending all new-hire training efforts beginning in November, till additional discover.”
Spirit didn’t instantly reply to CNBC’s request for remark.
“This is just not a choice we have taken calmly, but it surely’s obligatory to make sure our FlightOps group matches our operational want given the variety of plane we will fly,” Christopher wrote.
The Miramar, Florida-based low cost provider mentioned it expects to need to floor a mean of 26 Airbus A320neo plane for inspections of engines made by RTX unit Pratt & Whitney after that firm disclosed a manufacturing defect in August. The provider mentioned it expects 13 grounded planes in January, rising to 41 in December of subsequent 12 months. The airline had a fleet of 202 Airbus planes as of Sept. 30, in keeping with a submitting.
“This expectation drives a dramatic lower within the Company’s near-term development projections,” Spirit mentioned in a submitting. It mentioned it expects capability to be flat to up mid-single digits subsequent 12 months in contrast with 2023. The airline is in talks with RTX about compensation for the issue.
Last month, RTX mentioned it anticipated repairs to take between 250 and 300 days, with a mean of 350 planes powered by the geared turbofan engines grounded worldwide between 2024 and 2026.
The funds airline Spirit on Thursday posted a internet lack of $157.6 million, which was greater than 4 instances its loss a 12 months in the past. It forecast damaging margins for the final three months of the 12 months.
“We proceed to see discounted fares for journey booked by way of the pre-Thanksgiving interval,” CEO Ted Christie mentioned in an earnings launch. “And, sadly, we have now not seen the anticipated return to a traditional demand and pricing setting for the height vacation durations.”
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