The founder of Points Guy Brian Kelly discusses how the bankruptcy of Spirit Airlines can influence travel.
United Airlines and Spirit Airlines clash over the future of Ultra-Low-Cost Carrier (ULCC) models.
While Spirit has thrive on this model, it applied for its second bankruptcy in less than a year at the end of last month.
Speaking at an industrial conference on Thursday, United Airlines, Scott Kirby, predicted that Spirit Airlines would soon be bankrupt.
“That is a fundamental broken business model, and the consumer has voted. They are going to do bankruptcy because customers do not like their product,” Kirby told moderator Brian Sumers, a journalist in the aviation industry, According to Apex.
When asked how he was so confident in the prediction, Kirby said simply: “Because I’m good at math.”
Spirit Airlines cuts routes, rivals jumping as a budget carrier is confronted with bankruptcy turbulence
Scott Kirby, CEO of United Airlines, speaks during the Global Aerospace Summit of the American Chamber of Commerce in Washington, DC, on Tuesday 9 September 2025. (Al Drago / Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty images)
Sentiment is comparable to one that Kirby expressed in the global spacecraft of the American Chamber of Commerce in Washington, DC, earlier this week. During the top he called the ULCC model “an interesting experiment” that ultimately “failed”, Reuters reported.
“And it seems unlikely to me that Geest can continue to fly because their customers do not love the airline and do not want to fly,” said Kirby on Tuesday.
Spirit Airlines shot back on X and said: “Scott is finally right about something -it’s all about customers. Our guests love low rates, especially our new spirit and premium economy options. Maybe that’s why United leaders cannot stop Japs about us.”
While the two airlines claim, recent actions from each of the companies can indicate where they are going.
A Spirit Airlines -Jet starts above two airplanes from United Airlines on Newark Liberty Airport on March 23, 2018, in Newark, NJ (Gary Hershorn / Getty Images / Getty images)
Delta Air Lines ends the service to Southwest City
In the meantime, United Airlines announced around the same time that it would benefit from the discontinuation of routes if Spirit goes bankrupt. From January 6, 2026, United Airlines will have new routes to 15 cities, including Fort Lauderdale, Orlando and Las Vegas, according to the airline.
United Airlines Senior Vice President of Global Network Planning and Alliances Patrick Quayle took a wipe to Spirit in a statement about the added routes.
“If Spirit suddenly goes bankrupt, it will be incredibly disturbing, so we add these flights to give their customers different options if they want or need them,” said Quayle.
A Spirit Airlines plane undergoes operations in preparation for departure on the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport on 12 February 2024 in Austin, Texas. (Brandon Bell / Getty images / getty images)
In the statement, which was published in response to Quayle’s comments, Dee accused the managers of United Airlines of being “obsessed with” with the no-frills carrier. Dee added that Spirit Airlines “focused on competing and performing a great operation.”
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It remains unclear whether Spirit will be able to offer passengers affordable travel options or whether the yellow aircraft are doomed to be grounded.
