Spirit Airlines pilot shares heartfelt goodbye as it halts operations: ‘Crazy stuff happened’

WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA: After Spirit Airlines announced to discontinue the operation following failure to keep up with the surging fuel prices, the pilot bid an emotional farewell on his final flight.

The airline, on Saturday, May 2, announced that it had gone out of business after decades of operation.

Pilot says ‘crazy stuff happened’ in emotional goodbye

The pilot, who was flying one of the last flights of Spirit Airlines, bid an emotional farewell after serving the carrier for over 14 years.  He began by acknowledging the notice from the union about the discontinuation of the service, saying, “We got a notice from our union that we're gonna be ceasing operations at 3 AM Eastern Time today.”

As the pilot progressed his speech, he appreciated ‘great conversation’ along his journey, adding, “a lot of crazy stuff has happened, but it’s funny as we sit here, I will speak for myself.”

He further continued in a trembling voice after getting emotional. “I don’t remember any bad times, just good ones.”

“Spirit, believe it or not, started flying in 1983. It was called charter air at the time, and in 1992, it changed it name to Spirit. So we have been in the air since 1983, for 43 years. And unfortunately, that’s over.”

The pilot concluded his emotional speech with an expression of gratitude for the support.

“Thank you for your support over the years. And, onward and upward, God bless you all.”

Spirit Airlines stops operations after decades of service

Spirit Airlines, popular for its irreverent ads and deep discount fares, went out of business on Saturday, May 2, at 3 a.m. Eastern time. The airline was known for ultra-low ticket pricing and bright yellow planes.

The carrier that once operated hundreds of flights daily and employed about 17,000 people said it had “started an orderly wind-down of our operations, effective immediately.”

The company said that it is going out of business because high oil prices, caused by the war between the US and Iran, are making it impossible for the airline to stay afloat. Notably, the airline had gone bankrupt twice before but did not suspend services.

Spirit made a sudden announcement about discontinuation

Neither employees nor passengers had any clue about the suspension of business, as customers got to learn about their cancelled flights after arriving at airports, and workers learned overnight that they were out of jobs.

The airline said on its website that all flights have been canceled and customer service is no longer available.

“We are proud of the impact of our ultra-low-cost model on the industry over the last 34 years and had hoped to serve our guests for many years to come,” Spirit’s announcement said.