History of Spirit Airlines in Timeline
Spirit Airlines, headquartered in Dania Beach, Florida, is a major ultra-low-cost airline operating scheduled flights across the United States, the Caribbean, and Latin America. As of 2023, it held the position of the seventh largest passenger carrier and the largest ultra-low-cost carrier in North America.
1964: Clippert Trucking Company Founded
In 1964, the foundation of what would become Spirit Airlines was laid with the establishment of Clippert Trucking Company.
1974: Name Change to Ground Air Transfer, Inc.
Clippert Trucking Company changed its name to Ground Air Transfer, Inc. in 1974.
1983: Charter One Airlines Founded
Ned Homfeld founded Charter One Airlines in 1983 in Macomb County, Michigan, as a charter tour operator.
May 1992: Charter One Becomes Spirit Airlines
Charter One introduced jet aircraft and rebranded as Spirit Airlines in May 1992.
June 1, 1992: Scheduled Flights Begin
Spirit Airlines initiated scheduled flights between Detroit and Atlantic City on June 1, 1992.
June 15, 1992: Expansion to Boston and Providence
On June 15, 1992, Spirit Airlines expanded its services to include flights between Boston and Providence.
April 1993: Expansion to Florida
In April 1993, Spirit Airlines started scheduled service to Orlando, Fort Lauderdale, and St. Petersburg in Florida.
September 1993: New Route to Fort Myers
Spirit Airlines introduced flights between Atlantic City and Fort Myers, Florida, in September 1993.
1994: Overbooking Incident
In the summer of 1994, Spirit Airlines experienced an overbooking issue resulting in the cancellation of 1,400 customer tickets due to incorrect instructions provided to travel agents. In response, the airline pledged to ensure all paid customers could reach their destinations, even if it meant booking them on competitor airlines.
1994: Service Begins in Philadelphia
Spirit Airlines commenced service in Philadelphia in 1994.
1996: First Female Pilot
Janet Patton became Spirit Airlines' first female pilot in 1996.
1998: First Female Captain
Janet Patton, Spirit Airlines' first female pilot, became the first female captain in 1998.
1999: Headquarters Relocation
Spirit Airlines relocated its headquarters to 2800 Executive Way, Miramar, Florida, in 1999.
2000: FAA Fine
The FAA fined Spirit Airlines $67,000 in 2000 for violating regulations related to cabin and seat markings and placards on eight of its aircraft.
November 2001: Service to San Juan
Spirit Airlines started service to San Juan, Puerto Rico, in November 2001 and introduced a Spanish-language customer service plan.
2003: Resumption of Flights to Washington, D.C.
In the fall of 2003, Spirit Airlines resumed flights to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport after a suspension following the September 11 attacks.
January 2005: Ben Baldanza Hired as President
Ben Baldanza joined Spirit Airlines as President in January 2005 with the aim of improving the company's profitability.
2006: Baldanza Becomes CEO
Following an investment by Indigo Partners in 2006, Ben Baldanza was appointed CEO of Spirit Airlines.
2006: Expansion to New Destinations
Spirit Airlines began service to Grand Cayman, San Francisco, and Boston in 2006.
2006: Airbus A320 Order
Spirit Airlines placed an order for 30 Airbus A320-200 aircraft in 2006.
2007: Big Front Seat Introduced
In 2007, Spirit Airlines discontinued its business class service and introduced "Big Front Seat" as a premium seating option for an additional fee.
2007: Applications for Service Expansion
In 2007, Spirit Airlines filed applications to offer service to Costa Rica, Haiti, the Netherlands Antilles, and Venezuela.
June 2008: Potential Layoffs and Relocation
In June 2008, Spirit Airlines filed a WARN notice regarding the potential relocation or layoff of hundreds of pilots and flight attendants, and the closure of their San Juan and LaGuardia crew bases.
September 2008: Aircraft Advertisements
Spirit Airlines began displaying advertisements on various surfaces within its aircraft, including the sides, overhead bins, tray tables, seatback inserts, and bulkheads, in September 2008.
May 2009: Pilots Vote to Strike
Spirit Airlines pilots voted overwhelmingly in favor of strike action in May 2009 after extended negotiations with the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) failed to reach an agreement on compensation, work rules, and benefits.
March 2010: A320 Deliveries Begin
Deliveries of the Airbus A320 aircraft ordered by Spirit Airlines commenced in March 2010.
April 2010: Carry-on Bag Fees Introduced
Spirit Airlines became the first U.S. airline to implement fees for carry-on bags in April 2010.
June 12, 2010: Pilot Strike
Spirit Airlines grounded its flights on June 12, 2010, due to a pilot strike, stranding thousands of passengers. This was the first passenger airline strike by American ALPA-represented pilots since 2001.
December 2010: Free Spirit World MasterCard Launched
Spirit Airlines launched the Free Spirit World MasterCard in December 2010.
April 2012: Veteran Ticket Refund Controversy
In April 2012, Spirit Airlines faced public backlash after refusing to refund a terminally ill veteran's non-refundable ticket. The airline later apologized, issued a refund, and donated to the Wounded Warrior Project.
August 2013: Agreement with Transport Workers Union
Spirit Airlines reached a five-year agreement with the Transport Workers Union of America, representing its flight dispatchers, in August 2013.
November 2014: Top Growth Airline Pick
Morgan Stanley designated Spirit Airlines as the top growth airline pick for investors in November 2014.
2014: Office Renovation
Spirit Airlines renovated the interior of its headquarters in 2014.
December 2015: On-Time Performance Ranking
In December 2015, Spirit Airlines ranked last among thirteen airlines in on-time performance, with 68.7% of flights arriving on time.
January 2016: CEO Change and Potential Merger
Robert L. Fornaro, former AirTran CEO, replaced Ben Baldanza as CEO of Spirit Airlines in January 2016, sparking rumors of a potential merger with Frontier Airlines. Fornaro also announced plans to improve customer service and internal policies.
2016: Employee Count
As of 2016, Spirit Airlines' headquarters housed 600 employees.
November 2017: Improved On-Time Performance
Spirit Airlines achieved the second-best on-time performance in the country in November 2017, trailing only Delta Air Lines.
February 2018: Safety Ranking
Spirit Airlines was the only North American airline to be included in the list of the top 10 safest airlines in the world in February 2018.
May 2018: High-Speed WiFi Announcement
Spirit Airlines announced in May 2018 that it would become the first ultra-low-cost carrier to equip its aircraft with high-speed WiFi, starting in the fall of 2018, with complete installation expected by summer 2019.
October 2019: Aircraft Order
In October 2019, Spirit Airlines announced an order for 100 additional aircraft, with an option for 50 more.
October 2019: Headquarters Relocation Announcement
In October 2019, Spirit Airlines revealed plans to establish a new headquarters in Dania Beach, Florida. The initial plan envisioned a 500,000 square foot complex equipped with flight simulators.
December 2019: Aircraft Order
In December 2019, Spirit Airlines placed an order for 100 new Airbus A320neo family aircraft.
2019: New Headquarters Announcement
In 2019, Spirit Airlines announced its intention to build a new headquarters, up to 500,000 square feet, in the Dania Pointe development in Dania Beach, Florida, with an estimated cost of $250 million.
2019: WiFi Installation Completion
Spirit Airlines aimed to complete the installation of WiFi on all its aircraft by the summer of 2019.
February 2020: Fleet Plan
In February 2020, Spirit Airlines outlined a fleet plan projecting 293 aircraft by 2027.
July 2020: Passenger Death from COVID-19
In July 2020, a passenger on a Spirit Airlines flight died from COVID-19. The airline stated that it had notified the Centers for Disease Control, although no record of the contact could be found, and passengers were not informed about the infected individual.
July 2020: Employee Leave of Absence Announcement
In July 2020, due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Spirit Airlines announced that it would place 20-30% of its employees on leave of absence starting in October.
2021: Headquarters Plan Modification
In 2021, Spirit Airlines revised its headquarters plan. The updated design included a six-story, 180,222 square foot headquarters building, a 100,000 square foot training facility, and a parking garage with 998 spaces.
February 2022: Frontier Airlines Merger Proposal
In February 2022, Frontier Airlines proposed acquiring Spirit Airlines, with Frontier Airlines stock as the surviving entity, pending regulatory approval. This merger would have created the fifth-largest airline in the U.S.
April 2022: JetBlue Acquisition Proposal
In April 2022, JetBlue Airways proposed to acquire Spirit Airlines for $33 per share in cash, totaling $3.6 billion.
July 2022: JetBlue Acquisition Agreement
In July 2022, JetBlue reached an agreement to acquire Spirit Airlines for $33.50 per share, plus additional incentives for Spirit shareholders. This deal aimed to create the fifth-largest airline in the United States.
July 2022: Frontier Airlines Merger Rejection
In July 2022, Spirit Airlines shareholders rejected Frontier Airlines' offer to acquire the company.
August 2022: Inflight Internet Upgrade
Between July and August 2022, Spirit Airlines upgraded its inflight internet service to utilize the SES-17 high-throughput satellite. This transition aimed to provide passengers with connection speeds of up to 400 Mbit/s, touted as the fastest Wi-Fi among U.S.-based airlines.
October 19, 2022: Shareholder Approval of JetBlue Acquisition
On October 19, 2022, a majority of Spirit Airlines shareholders approved JetBlue's proposed acquisition.
July 2023: Aircraft Order Conversion
In July 2023, Spirit Airlines converted an existing order for 31 A319neo aircraft to A321neos.
2023: Spirit Airlines Overview
As of 2023, Spirit Airlines was the seventh largest passenger carrier and the largest ultra-low-cost carrier in North America, operating flights across the United States, the Caribbean, and Latin America.
2024: New Headquarters Opening
The new Spirit Airlines headquarters at the Dania Pointe complex opened for business in August 2024.
