[WASHINGTON] Spirit Airlines warned investors it may not survive as a going concern if it cannot raise cash quickly enough to satisfy creditors.
The warning came in its latest shareholder report, issued just five months after the troubled air carrier slashed debt and exited bankruptcy court oversight with plans to become profitable.
If the company cannot keep enough cash in the bank, creditors could declare Spirit in violation of its debt contracts, creating a cascading series of defaults that the airline may not survive, according to the filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission.
“Management has concluded there is substantial doubt as to the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern within 12 months from the date these financial statements are issued,” the company said.
Spirit Aviation Holdings emerged from bankruptcy in March after reducing debt by approximately US$795 million. The transaction converted debt into equity for its largest bondholders, including Citadel Advisors, Pacific Investment Management Company and Western Asset Management.
In order to win court approval of that plan and exit bankruptcy oversight, the company told a federal judge that it would bring in a consolidated net profit of US$252 million in 2025, court documents show.
In the Monday filing, Spirit said that it may sell spare engines or its rights to use gates at various airports. The goal is to raise enough cash by the end of the year to allay concerns of its credit-card processor. That processor has demanded Spirit put more cash aside as collateral or the processor will refuse to renew its contract, which expires Dec 31.
Airlines, including Spirit, are still grappling with a recovery in US travel after demand tanked in early February with US President Donald Trump’s imposition of initial tariffs. Worries about fallout from the levies and rising inflation caused consumers to cancel or never book planned trips, spurring most airlines to pull their full-year financial guidance.
Travel snapped back near the end of June, but several other carriers are forecasting that profit this quarter will be flat with or below 2024, and some smaller airlines say there’s still too much uncertainty surrounding demand for the rest of the year. BLOOMBERG
