WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥� President Donald Trump said Friday that his administration was still weighing of Spirit Airlines, with talks ongoing and no final decision yet on whether to move forward with a potential bailout for a carrier mired in bankruptcy proceedings for the second time in less than two years.
Trump emphasized that a deal to rescue the financially strapped airline remained under review. The president did not provide details but said an announcement could come later Friday or Saturday.
鈥淲e鈥檙e looking at it. If we could do it, we鈥檒l do it. But only if it鈥檚 a good deal,鈥� he said, speaking to reporters before departing the White House for Florida.
The possibility of a bailout first emerged publicly last week, when Trump of the U.S. government offering Spirit a financial lifeline to help keep the airline from going bust and out of business. Separately, a lawyer for the airline told a U.S. Bankruptcy Court that Spirit was in advanced talks with the government over financing that could allow it to exit Chapter 11 protection.
The president suggested the government would be able to resell the airline known for its bright yellow planes and 鈥渘o frills鈥� service for a profit once driven up by the come down.
Lawmakers from both parties and some members of the Trump administration have criticized the idea of using taxpayer funds to keep the ultra-low cost airline afloat. Speculation around Spirit’s future and the likelihood of a deal emerging has mounted with every day that passes without a resolution as the airline’s operating expenses and debts mount.
A spokesperson for Spirit, which has its headquarters in Dania Beach, Florida, declined to comment on ongoing discussions Friday and said 鈥淪pirit is operating as usual.鈥�
The Trump administration has delivered what the president described as a 鈥渇inal proposal鈥� to the airline. He framed the possible federal intervention as an effort to preserve jobs but stressed that any financial arrangement worked out would have to benefit the government.
鈥淚f we can help them, we will,” Trump said. 鈥淏ut we have to come first.鈥�
Supporters of a rescue 鈥� including labor unions representing Spirit’s pilots and flight attendants 鈥� say that a collapse would cost jobs, reduce competition and push fares higher.
The airline has struggled financially since the COVID-19 pandemic, weighed down by rising operating costs and growing debt. By the time it in November 2024, Spirit had lost more than $2.5 billion since the start of 2020.
The budget carrier sought bankruptcy protection again , when it reported having $8.1 billion in debts and $8.6 billion in assets, according to court filings.
Shortly before, its parent company revealed in a quarterly report that it had about Spirit鈥檚 ability to stay in business over the next year, citing 鈥渁dverse market conditions鈥� 鈥� including weak leisure domestic travel demand and ongoing 鈥渦ncertainties in its business operations.鈥�
About 1.7 million passengers took domestic flights with Spirit Airlines in February, about 500,000 fewer than it did during the same month a year earlier, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium.
Spirit also has by 51.6% year over year, Cirium said. The airline has roughly half as many seats on scheduled flights this month as it did in May 2025: 1,646,878 compared to 3,399,378, the firm said.
Rising tied to the Iran war have intensified pressure on the airline. Its creditors last month expressed doubts about whether Spirit could continue operating, raising the possibility of the airline being forced to sell off assets and shut down.
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Yamat reported from Las Vegas.
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