United Airlines will not pursue any of Spirit Airlines’ assets as the budget carrier undergoes bankruptcy restructuring, Chief Executive Scott Kirby said Tuesday in an interview with Reuters. Spirit, which filed for bankruptcy protection last month for the second time in a year, is planning to downsize its network and fleet, potentially making gates, routes and aircraft available to other carriers.
Kirby explained that Spirit’s Airbus fleet does not align with United’s operational needs, noting it would take up to three years and roughly $15 million per airplane to reconfigure them. He also pointed to limited gate access in Spirit’s core markets, such as Fort Lauderdale, as another factor in the decision.
“It’s not in our wheelhouse,” Kirby said. “And so we’re not going to try to do that.”
United instead has introduced new flights to 15 cities where Spirit operates. The airline said the aim is to provide alternative options for travelers in the event of service disruptions.
Despite concerns about the future of ultra-low-cost carriers, Kirby said there will continue to be affordable air travel in the U.S.
“Some of the models aren’t going to work and some will, but there’s always been and always will be lots of low-cost competition in the United States,” he said.
Kirby said United is also focusing on growth through other initiatives, including a frequent-flier partnership with JetBlue Airways, a plan to hire 2,500 pilots by the end of next year, and an upcoming decision on its long-deferred Airbus A350 order.
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