Trump says Spirit given 'final proposal' on bailout amid reports it may shut down
Spirit Airlines may cease operations as soon as Saturday amid ongoing discussions about a federal bailout, with President Donald Trump stating the White House has issued a final proposal. Major airlines including American, United, and Frontier are preparing to assist affected passengers if the shutdown occurs. The airline has not informed employees to stop reporting to work, and it continues to operate flights as scheduled despite financial struggles and rising jet fuel costs.
- ▪President Donald Trump said the White House gave Spirit Airlines a final bailout proposal but expressed reluctance to risk taxpayer funds.
- ▪American, United, Frontier, and JetBlue have all announced plans to support Spirit passengers if operations cease.
- ▪Spirit Airlines has not instructed employees not to report to work and maintains that flights are operating as scheduled.
- ▪The airline has faced opposition to its bailout request from Wall Street, Capitol Hill, and members of Trump’s Cabinet, including Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.
- ▪Rising jet fuel costs and prior bankruptcies have made Spirit’s financial recovery and exit from bankruptcy extremely difficult.
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ConsumerSpirit Airlines could shut down as soon as tomorrow, source saysAmerican, United and Frontier Airlines all say they are ready to support passengers if the budget carrier shuts down in the coming days.Listen to this article with a free account00:0000:00 body:has(.jw-flag-floating) .article-hero__container, body:has(.jw-flag-floating) .article-hero__media-holder, body:has(.jw-flag-floating) #content { z-index: auto; } Add NBC News to GoogleSpirit Airlines could shut down by Saturday02:21Get more newsLiveonShareAdd NBC News to GoogleMay 1, 2026, 12:44 PM EDT / Updated May 2, 2026, 1:00 AM EDTBy Rob Wile and Jay BlackmanSpirit Airlines could shut down as soon as tomorrow without a last-minute intervention, a source familiar with the matter tells NBC News.
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