Spirit Airlines pauses new Savannah routes after bankruptcy filing

After its second bankruptcy filing in less than a year, Spirit Airlines is delaying the start of service to Nashville, Tennessee and Detroit, Michigan from Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport.

Service to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, will begin as scheduled in October, said Lori Lynah, a spokeswoman for the airport. Spirit began daily flights between Newark, New Jersey and Savannah on Aug. 14. The airline is known for its bright yellow planes and low fares.

“Thankfully, they’re not going anywhere,” Lynah said.

It’s unclear whether the airline plans to move forward with the Nashville and Detroit flights, Lynah said. In its Aug. 29 Chapter 11 bankruptcy announcement, the company said it will focus on its “key markets” and reduce its presence in others.

Spirit emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy earlier this year, but that case was focused primarily on reducing debt and raising equity capital, President and CEO Dave Davis said.

“After thoroughly evaluating our options and considering recent events and the market pressures facing our industry, our board of directors decided that a court-supervised process is the best path forward to make the changes needed to ensure our long-term success,” president and CEO Dave Davis said in a statement.

Weeks before the most recent bankruptcy filing, Spirit warned that dips in domestic leisure travel demand could lead to financial difficulties. At the time, the company said there was a chance they wouldn’t even be in business in a year.

Spirit has said it plans to restructure to “position the business for long-term success.” But other airlines pounced at the opportunity to expand service as Spirit cuts back. United announced an additional daily roundtrip flight between Newark and Fort Lauderdale; the Florida airport is currently Spirit’s largest hub.

“If Spirit suddenly goes out of business, it will be incredibly disruptive, so we’re adding these flights to give their customers other options if they want or need them,” said Patrick Quayle, senior vice president of global network planning and alliances at United. Spirit did not immediately respond to an email requesting additional information.

Savannah/Hilton Head Airport is currently expanding, adding four new gates to its terminal. The airport saw about 4.1 million passengers last year and about 2.5 million so far in 2025.