{"id":49774,"date":"2023-10-30T01:31:09","date_gmt":"2023-10-29T20:01:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/?p=49774"},"modified":"2023-11-06T22:24:00","modified_gmt":"2023-11-06T16:54:00","slug":"spirit-airlines-stops-training-new-pilots-flight-attendants","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/index.php\/2023\/10\/30\/spirit-airlines-stops-training-new-pilots-flight-attendants\/","title":{"rendered":"Spirit Airlines Stops Training New Pilots and Flight Attendants"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

FLORIDA-<\/strong> Spirit Airlines (NK)<\/a> is set to temporarily stop the training of new pilots <\/a>and flight attendants, with plans to remain in effect “until further notice.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This decision comes as the company anticipates slower growth due to softer demand and the expected grounding of numerous aircraft for inspections related to a manufacturing issue with certain Airbus plane engines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Spirit
Photo: By Tom\u00e1s Del Coro from Las Vegas, Nevada, USA – N619NK Spirit Airlines Airbus A320-232 s\/n 5517, CC BY-SA 2.0, https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/w\/index.php?curid=77926311<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Spirit Stops Training Pilots and Attendants<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Prior to this, the company had already taken steps to slow down the hiring process and captain promotions, reported CNBC<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to a memo from Greg Christopher, Vice President of Flight Operations at Spirit, the company will extend this slowdown by suspending all efforts related to new-hire training starting in November until further updates are provided.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For flight attendants, Spirit Airlines intends to cease new flight attendant training from November 7 onward, and this suspension is anticipated to continue for an indefinite period. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, the company is preparing to offer voluntary time off options for cabin crew members, as mentioned in a separate memo from Tina Milton, Vice President of Inflight Experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Spirit
Photo: Spirit Airlines<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Official Confirmation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A spokesperson from Spirit Airlines has confirmed these changes, emphasizing that the decision was not made lightly but was necessary to align crew staffing levels with the operational requirements, particularly considering the number of aircraft the company can operate. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The airline, headquartered in Miramar, Florida, anticipates that it will need to ground an average of 26 Airbus A320neo aircraft <\/a>for engine inspections. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

These inspections are due to a manufacturing defect revealed by RTX unit Pratt & Whitney<\/a> in August. Spirit Airlines expects to have 13 planes grounded in January, with this number increasing to 41 by December of the following year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As of September 30, the airline had a fleet consisting of 202 Airbus <\/a>planes, as indicated in a filing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This situation has a significant impact on the company’s near-term growth expectations, with Spirit stating that it foresees a substantial reduction in its growth projections. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In light of this, the airline anticipates its capacity to remain largely unchanged or experience a modest increase in the mid-single digits in the upcoming year compared to 2023. Spirit Airlines is also engaging in discussions with RTX regarding compensation for the issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the previous month, RTX indicated that the expected duration of repairs would range from 250 to 300 days, with approximately 350 planes powered by geared turbofan engines projected to be grounded worldwide between 2024 and 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo: Spirit Airlines Airbus A319-133; N535NK@LAX;31.01.2018 | Flickr | Creator: Aero Icarus \n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

4X Loss<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Budget airline Spirit reported a net loss of $157.6 million on Thursday, which is over four times greater than its loss from the previous year. The airline also foresees negative profit margins for the final three months of the year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Spirit’s CEO, Ted Christie, mentioned in an earnings release that they are still observing discounted fares for travel bookings leading up to the pre-Thanksgiving period. Unfortunately, they have not witnessed the anticipated return to a normal demand and pricing environment for the peak holiday periods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Regarding the proposed acquisition of Spirit by JetBlue Airways (B6)<\/a>, the Justice Department has initiated legal action to block the deal. The trial is scheduled to commence next week in Boston.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In contrast, Frontier Airlines (F9)<\/a>, another discount carrier, continues its recruitment efforts for flight attendants, pilots, and mechanics, as confirmed by an airline spokesperson.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stay tuned with us. Further, follow us on social media for the latest updates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Join us on Telegram Group <\/a>for the Latest Aviation Updates. Subsequently, follow us on Google News<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Spirit Airlines Cuts Flights from Denver Amid New P&W Problems<\/a><\/blockquote>