Spirit Airlines bankruptcy: Company files for protection, will continue to operate as it restructures debt, airline says [Video]

NEW YORK — Spirit Airlines filed on Monday for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, months after a federal judge blocked the budget airline’s proposed merger with JetBlue.

The company, which is based in Florida, published on Monday an open letter to those who’ve booked tickets for the future. Flights, ticket sales and other operations will continue as normal, the airline said.

“The most important thing to know is that you can continue to book and fly now and in the future,” the letter said.

The airline filed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York, saying in an accompanying press release that it sought to restructure and reduce its debt.

JetBlue and Spirit had proposed a merger, signing an agreement in July 2022, a deal that the discount airlines said would improve their ability to attract customers away from larger competitors.

But they jointly announced in March 2024 that they would terminate the deal, saying they were unlikely to …