Spirit Airlines takes 1st Airbus A321neo involved in a sale-and-leaseback transaction

Spirit Airlines has taken delivery of the first Airbus A321neo aircraft involved in a four-aircraft sale-and-leaseback (SLB) transaction that was approved recently by the bankruptcy court overseeing the carrier’s Chapter 11 case that began on November 18.

Flightradar24 data showed that Spirit Airlines took delivery of the A321neo on December 21, shipping the aircraft from Hamburg Finkenwerder Airport (XFW) to Keflavik International Airport (KEF).

On the following day, the A321neo, registered as N739NK, departed on a six-hour and 35-minute journey to Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW), landing in Detroit at 12:56 local time (UTC -5).

Before Spirit Airlines welcomed the single-aisle jet into its fleet, the aircraft, under the temporary registration D-AVZB, had completed two Airbus test flights on December 14 and December 17.

According to ch-aviation fleet records, this was the low-cost carrier’s 28th A321neo, with the airline operating a further 91 smaller A320neo aircraft.

However, out of the 119 A320neo and A321neo aircraft, 30, or 25.2%, are currently marked inactive by the site.

While this has undoubtedly impacted the airline’s operations, Spirit Airlines’ Q3 report, which it filed late, detailed that International Aero Engines (IAE), an affiliate of Pratt & Whitney, as well as the type certificate (TC) holder of the PW1100G engine, will provide compensation for grounded aircraft between October 1, 2023, and December 31, 2024.

"The temporary removal of engines from service is expected to continue through at least 2026. The Company is currently discussing arrangements with Pratt & Whitney for any of its aircraft that remain unavailable for operational service after December 31, 2024."

As of September 30, Spirit Airlines had recognized $104.7 million of credits related to the groundings of its A320neo and A321neo fleet due to the accelerated removals and inspections of the engines for potential powdered metal inclusion.

Following a hearing on December 17, the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York approved the SLB transaction on December 18.

"Each and every federal, state and local governmental agency or department shall be, and hereby is, directed to accept any and all documents and instruments necessary and appropriate to consummate the Aircraft [SLB] Transactions contemplated hereby.”

As a result, Spirit Airlines and JSA International were allowed to consummate the SLB for four A321neo, with the first aircraft of the type having been scheduled to arrive on December 19, as pointed out in the December 18 filing.

The other three A321neos will be delivered between February 2025 and April 2025 and immediately sold to JSA International, enabling Spirit Airlines to raise cash and still add some capacity to its network in exchange for a long-term lease.

However, earlier court documents omitted the purchase price, lease term, and rent price for the quartet of A321neos, with the information remaining confidential to entities not involved in the transaction.

Nevertheless, Spirit Airlines will continue cutting capacity throughout 2025, with the court also approving the outright sale of its 23 A320ceo and A321ceo aircraft to GA Telesis during a hearing on December 17.

Data from Cirium’s Diio Mi airline planning system showed that in March 2025, Spirit Airlines will operate 18.5% fewer weekly flights, eliminating up to 19.5% of weekly seats from its network year-on-year (YoY).

The cuts will not be as deep in April 2025. So far, the airline’s schedules showed that it will only eliminate 570 weekly departures YoY (-10%), resulting in 125,432 fewer weekly seats YoY (-11.6%).

In May 2025, Spirit Airlines scheduled 5,060 weekly flights, or 804 fewer than during the same month in 2024, representing a reduction of 13.7% YoY. The carrier has not filed schedules for June 2025 and beyond.