WARN Notices & Understanding the Potential Furlough Impact
September 25, 2025
Today, management officially sent out WARN notices to 1,848 Spirit Flight Attendants.
A WARN Notice is a legal notice 60 days (minimum) in advance of mass layoffs. WARN notices are provided to all workers that may be furloughed. Our contract requires voluntary furloughs with specific target numbers. The total target number for voluntary furloughs is currently 500, split between options for 6 months or 1 year. These options will lower the number of involuntary furloughs. Bottom line, WARN notices do not determine actual involuntary furlough numbers.
Our MEC is pushing management to increase these voluntary personal furloughs (VPF) target numbers to save as many jobs as possible. We encourage everyone who is able to bid for a VPF to do so.
Understanding the Potential Impact
This chart is based on a strict 1,848 furlough target and does not include the mitigation of VPF on these numbers. This chart details the impact on each of the bases by seniority and total numbers:
Furlough FAQs
Q: Why is the company furloughing Flight Attendants?
A: The company’s financial position forced fleet reductions and network restructuring as part of the bankruptcy. This, coupled with the conditions of the bankruptcy, drives the need for fewer Flight Attendants.
Q: When will the furloughs take effect?
A: Voluntary Personal Furloughs (VPF) go into effect as of November 1, 2025. Involuntary Furloughs go into effect December 1, 2025.
Q: Are the furloughs awarded or imposed by base or system seniority?
A: In both cases furloughs are determined by system seniority, not by base. VPF is awarded in system seniority order, involuntary furloughs are done in inverse order of system seniority.
Q: How will the Company notify affected Flight Attendants?
A: Each Flight Attendant subject to furlough will be notified by email to their Company email address and by certified mail to their filed address with the Company.
Q: Are there plans to close any bases?
A: No, there are no plans to close any bases at this time.
Q: Is it expected that Flight Attendants will be displaced from their base as a result of the furlough?
A: Currently, Spirit management does not plan to displace any Flight Attendants from their base.
Q: Will the company be offering any incentive packages?
A: Currently, Spirit management is not offering early retirement or buyout packages.
Q: If my employee number is within the 1800 employees to be furloughed, do you think I actually have a chance of people with more seniority wanting to take the voluntary furlough and I will actually be able to keep my job?
A: The intent of the VPF is to encourage as many senior Flight Attendants as possible to voluntarily take time away from work in order to create opportunities for more junior Flight Attendants to keep working. We will push the company to award as many voluntary furloughs as possible in order to reduce the number of involuntary furloughs required by management.
Q: Do we still have access to benefits while on VPF?
A: A Flight Attendant on VPF shall retain employee insurance and travel benefits and must continue to pay any employee portion (the same as active status) of such benefits during the voluntary furlough period.
Q: If I am placed on involuntary furlough status, will I receive all earned and accrued vacation?
A: A furloughed Flight Attendant shall receive pay for all vacation accrued up to the time of the (furlough) event.
Q: It seems some FAs are under the impression there is a choice between VPF and Involuntary Furlough. Can I do either?
A: Flight Attendants who have seniority that is senior to those subject to involuntary furlough may be awarded a Voluntary Personal Furlough (VPF). Those subject to involuntary furlough will not be awarded a VPF.
Q: If I do the six-month VPF and decide to come back to work at six months will that mean someone else is subject to involuntary furlough?
A: At the end of the awarded VPF period, unless you elect to bid for any VPF extension, you would return to duty. Unless management announces an additional number of furloughs, your return to work after six months will not mean someone else is subject to involuntary furlough.
Q: Will you be guaranteed the ability to return at the conclusion of the voluntary furlough?
A: At the end of an awarded VPF, unless you elect to bid for any VPF extension that may be offered by the company, you will return to duty.
Q: If involuntary recalls are brought back first, how would all the FA's on a six-month VPF be able to come back as well?
A: VPFs return to duty at the end of their awarded VPF. In the event of a recall, Involuntary furloughs are recalled first. This would not impact the scheduled return of someone on VPF. Keep in mind, the Company is aware of the scheduled return of those on VPF.
Q: If I choose the six month VPF and there is still a reduced need for Flight Attendants, will I then be considered an involuntary furlough or will it extend as voluntary?
A: If there is a need for more furloughs at the end of your VPF, management must announce a new furlough and go through the voluntary offering prior to implementing any additional involuntary furloughs.
Q: What is the difference between longevity and bid seniority?
Longevity: The period which begins on graduation from Initial Flight Attendant training and continues to accrue during active employment as a Flight Attendant. Longevity is used to determine pay scale and other benefits such as vacation.
Bid Seniority: Upon assignment to the line, a newly employed Flight Attendant shall have their bidding seniority date adjusted to the date of entering Initial Flight Attendant training. Bid seniority applies to what its called: bidding.
Q: What happens to my seniority and longevity while on furlough?
Voluntary Personal Furlough (VPF)
Flight Attendants on VPF retain all seniority and longevity accrued prior to VPF.
Flight Attendants continue to accrue bid seniority while on VPF.
Flight Attendants continue to accrue longevity for ninety (90) days from the date of VPF.
Involuntary Furlough
Furloughed Flight Attendants retain all seniority and longevity accrued prior to the time of furlough for a period not to exceed six (6) years.
Flight Attendants continue to accrue bid seniority while on furlough.
Q: Can I be furloughed if I am on a leave of absence?
A: Yes, Flight Attendants on a leave of absence are subject to furlough.
Q: Can I work for another airline while on Voluntary Personal Furlough?
A: Yes.
In Solidarity,
Your Spirit AFA-CWA Leadership
