Why airlines are always going bankrupt
Spirit Airlines is shutting down permanently in May 2026 after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection twice in less than a year. The budget airline had not turned a profit since 2019, and a proposed merger with JetBlue was blocked by a federal judge. The airline industry as a whole has historically struggled with profitability, with the International Air Transport Association reporting that airlines collectively do not generate earnings to cover their cost of capital. AI