Summary
- Spirit Airlines will operate its final flight out of Denver International Airport today with a service to Las Vegas.
- The carrier’s A320neo and A321neo fleets have been impacted by Pratt & Whitney’s GTF engine problems, resulting in capability cuts.
- Despite its departure, this would possibly not significantly affect DEN as Spirit only served three routes.
Spirit Airlines will operate its final service out of Denver International Airport (DEN) today. It has attributed the pullout to Pratt & Whitney’s ongoing GTF engine problems, which has had a cloth impact on the carrier’s capability.
Spirit’s final Denver flight leaving today
The carrier will bid farewell to DEN today (Tuesday, January 9) with its final flight out of the airport, putting an end to 11 years of operations. As reported by KDVR, the airline will fly its final service to Fort Lauderdale (FLL) late on January 8, followed by two flights to Miami (MIA) and Las Vegas (LAS) before noon on January 9.
Photo: VIAVAL TOURS | Shutterstock
Back in November, the ultra-low-cost carrier (ULCC) revealed it will be pulling out of Denver this January attributable to capability cuts related to GTF engine manufacturing defects and a scarcity of passenger demand. In a November statement, it said,
Over a dozen of the airline’s A320neo and A321neo planes have been impacted by the P&W GTF engine problems, forcing it to chop capability and downgrade its full-year growth forecast. Considering the airline reported losses of over $150 million over Q3 2023, losing using its worthwhile next-generation aircraft is a serious blow.
Final flight to Las Vegas
Spirit’s final departure will probably be to Las Vegas (Flight NK1203) and is scheduled to depart at 11:47 today. The airline will then complete its final arrival to DEN, a flight from Las Vegas attributable to touch down at 14:29. Moreover, its final service to Miami (Flight NK3139) will leave Denver at 10:33.
Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Easy Flying
The carrier has thanked the Denver Department of Aviation for its cooperation over their 11-year partnership since Spirit began operations in 2012. A spokesperson for DEN said that Spirit’s single gate positioned on Concourse C will revert to town when the carrier leaves.
Away for long?
The carrier has given no indication of how long it’s going to be away from Denver, if indeed it ever returns. It previously exited the airport in 2004 and didn’t return for one more eight years, only operating flights again in 2012.
Photo: Framalicious | Shutterstock
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United Airlines is leading at the foremost hub for the second 12 months in a row.
This would possibly not be a serious blow to DEN on condition that Spirit only served three routes from the airport – the United Airlines stronghold can be a serious base for Southwest Airlines and budget carrier Frontier Airlines. DEN continues its growth and is benefiting from state-funded infrastructure works, including a brand new taxiway that opened last summer.
Did you ever fly with Spirit Airlines out of Denver International Airport? Do you think that the carrier will ever return there? Tell us within the comments.