Amid worries about its declining business, Spirit Airlines announced Monday that it would furlough about 260 pilots.
The low-cost airline will also push back any and all deliveries of new aircraft from Airbus that had been scheduled between the second quarter of next year through the end of 2026.
Both moves are attempts by the airline to save money.
Spirit has lost money in each of the last six quarters despite airline business doing well as a whole.
Industry officials cited by Reuters say that even if Spirit implements these and other cost-cutting measures, the airline will not likely be profitable by year’s end.
Those other measures could include ceasing operation in some markets, though that hasn’t been announced as of yet.
Spirit says it has deferred delivery of new aircraft until 2030-2031, and that pilot furloughs will begin September 1.
“(The) aircraft deferrals and pilot furloughs look positive, in terms of helping the carrier to reduce (or) defer some costs. However, among other factors, the carrier now potentially also reduces its revenue generation opportunities,” Citi Research analyst Stephen Trent wrote in a note cited by Reuters.
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