Spirit
Airlines is making significant adjustments to its network, slashing dozens
of domestic and international routes to focus its resources on the most popular
destinations. The low-cost carrier will trim 24 routes in cities across the U.S.
and beyond, a move which will impact flights to and from major hubs over the
coming months.
“We routinely
evaluate our network and make adjustments to support the company's business
strategy based on current market and operating conditions,” a Spirit
spokesperson told Travel
+ Leisure. “As part of this process, we updated our upcoming schedule to
focus on our strongest performing routes.”
These changes are
already underway. Effective immediately, Spirit has ceased flying between:
- Tampa and Columbus
-
Tampa and San
Antonio
- Dallas and Chicago
-
Dallas and San
Antonio
- Newark and San
Antonio
- Los Angeles and
Oakland
- Los Angeles and
Pittsburgh
- Los Angeles and
Nashville
-
Burbank and
Sacramento
- Cleveland and
Orlando
-
Fort Lauderdale
and Phoenix
-
Las Vegas and
Richmond
At the start of December,
the airline will stop flying between:
- Dallas and Tampa
- Dallas and Houston
- Charlotte and
Houston
- San Diego to
Sacramento
Then, on January
8, Spirit will cut its routes between:
- Boston and Newark
- Charlotte and
Dallas
- Charlotte and Los
Angeles
- Columbus and Los
Angeles
Later, in March,
it will end flights between:
- Los Angeles and
San Antonio
- Los Angeles and Salt
Lake City
Spirit also intends
to remove two international routes as part of this shakeup. On February 10, it
will wave goodbye to service from Fort Lauderdale to El Salvador’s San Salvador
and, on February 11, from Fort Lauderdale to Nicaragua’s Managua.
This decision to
focus on its more profitable routes follows Spirit’s recent
revamp of its fare classes as part of its efforts to deliver a more comfortable
and cost-effective travel experience for its customers. Its newly overhauled offerings
include options for wider seating with extra legroom and no middle seat, as
well as bundling such services as checked bags, priority boarding, onboard Wi-Fi
and in-flight refreshments.
This latest route
reduction follows a similar move made last month in which Spirit cut dozens of
routes as part of an ongoing effort to streamline operations and make the most
of its resources.
These adjustments may
be part of the airline’s strategy for overcoming struggles linked to its failed
merger with JetBlue, which was blocked by a federal court earlier this year.
In October, it was reported that Spirit had renewed talks of a proposed merger
with Frontier Airlines.
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