Spirit Airlines plans to spend nearly $11 million on retention incentives to keep key employees during its months-long wind-down. Court documents show that 95 employees will stay for up to three months for "execution and operational close" tasks; 25 will be retained for three to six months for "regulatory and financial close" tasks; and 10 for more than six months for "custodial and litigation" tasks. Spirit says the wind-down depends on retaining employees with "necessary institutional knowledge" and "specialised knowledge and skills" that may be attractive to other employers. With no long-term prospects at the airline and heavier workloads during the wind-down, Spirit proposes a one-time retention payment of 20% to 100% of base salary, payable at the end of the retention period, plus a medical stipend to the selected employees. Total cost, including taxes, is around $10.7 million, averaging about $76,000 per participant. The company also wants to retain three unnamed "mission-critical" senior managers, offering them a one-time incentive from wind-down asset sale proceeds. Spirit ceased operations on 2 May after failing to secure additional funding to continue its Chapter 11 process, which began in August 2025. Some staff have apparently already landed new jobs. For example, Tyler Norman, president and chief executive of Aero Engine Solutions, says in a LinkedIn post that he has "already hired one full-time records professional from the Spirit team" and has "multiple open positions". Meanwhile, the rest of Spirit's staff are set to lose their jobs and medical benefits by the end of the month. Remaining employees will keep health and welfare benefits until 31 May, while those terminated before then may be able to access temporary extended coverage through the Continuation of Health Coverage (COBRA) scheme.

Air France-KLM chief executive Ben Smith has vowed to make "the strongest bid we can" for TAP Air Portugal. During the group's first-quarter results call on 30 April, Smith reiterated the strategic importance of acquiring TAP, which, he said, revolved around utilising the geographical position of Lisbon to build on the carrier's routes across the South Atlantic. Smith notes that Brazil, a key destination for TAP, remains Air France-KLM's largest market in the region. "You know, the way we view Latin America has not changed whatsoever," he says. Non-binding offers for TAP were submitted by Air France-KLM and Lufthansa Group at the start of the month. Binding offers are set to be tabled over the coming weeks. Smith confirms that the two groups are the only bidders. He appeared to question some of the previously stated terms of the sale, which have deterred other parties from seeking a position. Asked whether Air France-KLM was content with being restricted to a minority stake in TAP, he responded: "Let's say we cannot say anything about that at this moment. We know what are the conditions from the Portuguese state, and that is the 45% which is for sale… and we are in discussions with the Portuguese state [on] how we get back to that." European airline group IAG said on 7 April that it had withdrawn from the TAP process because "we need a route to full ownership in order to be able to manage and transform the business". The Portuguese government has said it is seeking a buyer for 44.9% of TAP, with the state retaining a majority stake for an initial period. Five percent of shares would be reserved for its employees. Air France-KLM finance chief Steven Zaat adds that the group now plans to do detailed due diligence on TAP before pressing ahead with its bid, covering both the carrier's finances and the legal implications of securing a stake. "That is what we are going to put in place in the coming period. Then we come most likely with a binding offer at the end of July, at the beginning of August," he says.

Spirit Airlines has ceased its operations, after having filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection twice within a 10-month, most recently in August 2025. The Dania Beach, Florida-based airline – which on 13 March filed with the US Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York a restructuring support agreement and reorganisation plan – had intended to emerge from Chapter 11 restructuring in the late spring or early summer. Its shutdown comes amid a worldwide spike in the price of jet fuel following the 28 February launch of military strikes against Iran by the USA and Israel. The US carrier says it is "with great disappointment" that on 2 May it "started an orderly wind-down of our operations, effective immediately". It has notified its customers that "all flights have been cancelled, and customer service is no longer available". It adds: "We are proud of the impact of our ultra-low-cost model on the industry over the last 34 years and had hoped to serve our guests for many years to come." Rival US carriers United, American, Delta, Southwest and JetBlue have stepped in to offer "rescue fares" – which have capped prices – to Spirit customers whose flights have been cancelled. At the end of 2025, Spirit's workforce comprised 1,935 pilots, 3,096 flight attendants, 60 dispatchers, 289 ramp service agents, 249 passenger service agents, 410 aircraft maintenance technicians and 1,443 non-unionised personnel, the carrier says in its annual report filed on 16 March with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. It adds in the SEC filing that the company was founded in 1964 as Michigan-based Clippert Trucking Company. It began air charter operations in 1990, and in 1992 renamed itself Spirit Airlines. It relocated its headquarter to Miramar, Florida in 1999, and to Dania Beach in 2024. Spirit's fleet comprises 172 aircraft, all but 48 of which are leased.