More than 30 routes being axed by budget carrier Spirit....
The U.S. budget carrier Spirit is axing more than 30 routes in another cost-cutting exercise at the airline which is struggling financially since the takeover by JetBlue failed at the last hurdle.
The news of the massive cut to the schedule was first revealed by Cirium and The Points Guy and will see at least 32 routes go as part of a reorganization of the carrier. Some routes have been axed this week, some will go next week and a few will survive until 3rd November and a small number will be withdrawn in the first week of December.
Spirit, which is one of the most complained about airlines in the U.S. has been struggling for a long time prior to JetBlue's aborted takeover bid. It has debts of more than $2 billion and continues to add more losses each passing month. The airline management, it has been said, had been in discussions with two or three other midsized air carriers in recent times, neither of which has come to any fruition.
The routes already axed include Atlanta - Chicago, Burbank - Portland, Charleston -Detroit, Columbus - Dallas-Fort Worth, Dallas-Fort Worth - Kansas City, Dallas-Fort Worth - Philadelphia, Fort Lauderdale - Salt Lake City, Las Vegas - Minneapolis-St. Paul and San Diego - Salt Lake City.
Some of the routes going in early October include Nashville - Miami, Boston - Charleston, Boston - Columbus, Boston - Pittsburgh, Charlotte - Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth - Memphis, Las Vegas - St. Louis, Portland - San Diego and Portland - San Jose.
Boston to Chicago and Charleston to New York will be withdrawn on 3rd December whilst services between Los Angeles - Louisville, New York City - Pittsburgh, Las Vegas - Louisville, Detroit - Newark, Dallas-Fort Worth - Milwaukee, Columbus - Newark, Charleston - Las Vegas, Boston - Norfolk, Boston - Kansas City, Hartford - Orlando, Nashville - Boston and Nashville - New York are set to go 4th, 5th and 6th November.
Will these be the last routes to go? It is impossible to say, but it is very unlikely these will be the last 32 routes to go from the ailing airline with the yellow planes.
