“This is it tonight”: Spirit Airlines pilots sign off on final flights

Air traffic control audio records showed the exchanges between controllers and the pilots of some of Spirit Airlines’ final flights overnight Saturday, shortly after the airline announced it was ceasing operations after a government bailout failed to materialize. 

Around midnight, an American Airlines employee at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport can be heard offering well wishes to Spirit employees on the airline’s second-to-last flight at that airport.

“Sorry to hear what happened,” the American Airlines employee says in the audio, which was obtained by LiveATC.com. 

About 10 minutes later, the pilot of Spirit’s final flight at the airport asked an air traffic controller if any more Spirit flights are set to land. 

“I don’t see anything,” the controller replies. “You might be the last one.” 

“This is it tonight,” the pilot says.  

A recording from Chicago O’Hare International Airport catches air traffic control staff sending well wishes to Spirit employees. 

“It’s hard to believe this is it,” the Spirit Airlines pilot says in the audio, shared by ATC.com. 

“Yeah, no kidding,” tower staff reply. “It’s been a pleasure to talk with you guys on the radios. Hope you guys can make it out OK.”

Spirit Airlines was based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and employed about 15,000 people. About 6,000 of those employees were based in Florida. 

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in a Saturday news conference that other airlines are offering preferential interviews to Spirit staff who have lost their jobs. 

The Air Line Pilots Association said Spirit’s closure is “a devastating blow to more than 2,000 ALPA pilots and thousands of other hardworking employees who dedicated their careers to this airline,” and said that staff “deserved better than this outcome.”