ORLANDO, Fla. – The shutdown of Spirit Airlines has left hundreds of employees in Orlando facing uncertainty, heartbreak and questions about how they will move forward after suddenly losing their jobs.
Former workers gathered at one of the airline’s now-closed operations centers near Orlando International Airport, many wearing their uniforms for what they said could be the final time. Employees hugged, cried and reflected on careers they believed would last until retirement.
“It’s been hard,” said former flight attendant Syn Harris. “It’s been hard to get out of bed, it’s been hard to do basic stuff.”
The airline ceased operations over the weekend amid rising fuel costs tied to conflict in the Middle East, leaving workers scrambling for answers about unemployment benefits, future job prospects and unpaid wages.
“I filed for unemployment this morning,” Harris said. “It’s like I made so much to get peanuts.”
Several employees said they learned about the shutdown while on the clock.
“The news was reporting it before we got anything from the company,” said former flight attendant Travis Arcamone.
Meanwhile, Harris notes, “We just all need help.”
Workers also expressed concern about whether they will receive final paychecks for hours already worked as bills and financial obligations pile up.
“We the front-line workers might not even get paid for hours that we worked, and that’s an extra stab in the heart because we are already losing our income,” Arcamone said.
Now former Spirit pilot Bart Terburg said the collapse has created fierce competition in an already difficult aviation job market.
“I was definitely going to retire here,” Terburg said. “And it’s not going to be easy because now you have a whole flood of pilots flooding the market and we are competing for the same bone.”
Many former employees are now calling for federal or local assistance as they search for new jobs and financial support.
“Originally this was a goodbye,” Arcamone said, “but hopefully it’s a see you later with what’s going on with the campaign to save Spirit.”
Some employees said they remain hopeful help will come soon, though many acknowledged finding similar work may be difficult with so many displaced workers seeking the same positions.