HOUSTON – Nearly 1,000 Texans were left without jobs when Spirit Airlines suddenly shuttered last weekend, according to data from the Texas Workforce Commission.
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What we know:
Spirit ceased operations during the early-morning hours of May 2, a “sudden and sustained” increase in fuel prices for the decision.
Globally, about 17,000 employees were laid off. TWC data released this week showed that the airline reported 515 of those layoffs were in Houston and 444 were in Dallas.
Spirit airlines planes sits at the gate at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) in Houston, Texas, on March 8, 2023. (Photo by DANIEL SLIM/AFP via Getty Images)
What they’re saying:
Flight attendant Aijah Smith told FOX 26 Houston that, while the closure didn’t come as a surprise, it was still jarring.
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“I didn’t register what she said,” Smith said, while recalling a phone call she got from her mother at her hotel in Houston. “And then I had another trainer, a fellow colleague of mine call me. And she was like, ‘Hey, are you OK? I know everything’s probably canceled.’ And I’m like, ‘Canceled? What do you mean?'”
Smith, who lives in Atlanta, Georgia, was among hundreds of employees who had to find a new ride home after Spirit shut down.
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What’s next:
Other major carriers, such as Fort Worth-based American Airlines, Houston-hubbed United and Delta, have offered to fast-track interviews for former Spirit staff.
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Boeing has also scheduled virtual career expos for Monday.