DOT Secretary Duffy blames Biden admin, Pete Buttigieg for Spirit Airlines’ failure
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy attributed Spirit Airlines' bankruptcy to the Biden administration's decision to block its merger with JetBlue, calling it a pivotal factor in the airline's collapse. He defended the response by other U.S. airlines in accommodating stranded passengers while dismissing rising oil prices due to the war in Iran as a primary cause. Duffy also criticized former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg's leadership and policies during his tenure.
- ▪Spirit Airlines filed for bankruptcy in 2024 after a court upheld the Biden administration's opposition to its merger with JetBlue.
- ▪The airline's collapse resulted in the loss of approximately 17,000 jobs.
- ▪Sean Duffy rejected the idea that the war in Iran and rising oil prices were responsible for Spirit's financial failure.
- ▪Duffy previously criticized Pete Buttigieg's Department of Transportation for allocating over $80 billion to diversity, equity, and inclusion grants.
- ▪President Trump considered a $500 million bailout for Spirit Airlines, but the plan did not materialize.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
Politics breaking DOT Secretary Duffy blames Biden admin, Pete Buttigieg for Spirit Airlines’ failure By Ryan King Published May 3, 2026, 11:07 a.m. ET Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy slammed his predecessor for sowing the seeds of Spirit Airlines’ dramatic collapse when the Biden administration killed a $3.8 billion merger deal with JetBlue. “Spirit tried to merge with JetBlue. The Joe Biden-Pete Buttigieg administration and DOJ tanked that deal,” Duffy told ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday. “Immediately after that, they filed for bankruptcy.” “This was in the works for some time.
…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at New York Post.
Discussion
0 commentsMore from New York Post
