Spirit employees share shock of airline's end

Thousands of South Florida employees reeling after Spirit Airlines abrupt shutdown, gathered in Dania Beach to support one another as they face sudden job loss, no severance, and an uncertain future.
Posted 5/4/2026, 9:04:55 PM Updated 5/4/2026, 9:06:07 PM

An emotional scene in Dania Beach

Co-workers turned family now saying goodbye and some say they

never saw it coming

We really didn't get a notice

They were sending them out but not fast enough not

versus the shutdown

I mean everybody really found out because of the media

For many this was years of work gone in an

instant

I've been with Spirit for a little over 10 years

4 years

I was with the company for 5 years

I've been with the company for 10

Amazing years and now no paycheck ahead

We will be getting paid for the hours worked but

as of right now um there is no severance paid

It's only what we saved if we were able to

save anything at all um and whatever's in our 401k

All the hours we put in the overtime the mando

and then just to be kicked to the curb with

with no answers no explanations just check your email and

don't come into work the next day

It's it's mind boggling

Other major carriers like United say they plan to help

laid off employees but they say starting over won't be

easy

It's not an industry that you can start over

You don't take work experience to another airline with you

You start right back at the bottom

So my 10 years actually mean nothing

And what hurts the most it's not just a job

they're losing

It was an amazing place to work amazing people

You couldn't ask for a better group of

Individuals we're here

This may be the last day we're wearing this uniform

This may be the last day that we're seeing our

our family

I can't even say friends in the middle of the

heartbreak a moment of support

But for many the reality is just now setting in

I still don't think it's real you know

I still think that something's going to come through for

us and I'm hoping that something will come through

A sudden end leaving thousands in South Florida without work

and without a clear path forward