UPDATE: Spirit Airlines has shut down, ending a 34-year run that transformed the U.S. airline industry and ushered in an era of no-frills service that made air travel accessible to millions of more Americans. An announcement on its website, posted at 3:00 am ET on May 2, 2026, confirmed the shutdown: It is with great […]
Budget Airlines Demand $2.5 Billion Bailout From Trump Administration
First it was Spirit Airlines. Now a wider group of budget carriers reportedly wants billions in federal relief. The White House and Congress should flatly reject this. Budget Airlines Want A $2.5 Billion Bailout According to The Wall Street Journal, several low-cost and ultra low-cost airlines are pitching the Trump administration on a $2.5 billion […]
Trump Administration Prepares $500 Million Spirit Airlines Bailout That Looks Illegal And Leaves Taxpayers On The Hook
The Trump administration is reportedly working on a deal to provide Spirit Airlines with up to $500 million in government-backed financing, in exchange for warrants that could give the U.S. government a significant ownership stake in the carrier. Folks, I’ve got one word to describe this: illegal. Trump Administration Nears $500 Million Bailout For Spirit […]
Trump Floats Bailout For Bankrupt Spirit Airlines And Hopes For A Buyer
With new comments from President Donald Trump suggesting openess to a bailout, Spirit Airlines is now at the center of an uncomfortable question: should the government step in to save it? Trump Floats Government Help For Spirit Airlines As Bankruptcy Crisis Deepens President Trump suggested that the federal government could step in to support Spirit […]
Spirit Airlines Asks Trump Administration For Taxpayer Bailout. That’s A Terrible Idea
Spirit Airlines is reportedly asking the Trump administration for a taxpayer-funded bailout to avoid liquidation. The answer should be: no way. Spirit Airlines Seeks Government Bailout As Financial Crisis Deepens According to The Air Current, which first broke the story, Spirit Airlines has approached the Trump administration seeking hundreds of millions of dollars in emergency […]
United Airlines CEO Banking On Future Government Bailouts, But Only For The Strong
In a message to employees thanking them for a resilient third quarter and charting the long-term vision of the company, United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby offered an interesting insight into how he views the future of government bailouts in times of crisis. United Airlines CEO Assumes Future Bailouts Will Occur, But Not Necessarily For Everyone […]
Delta’s Alternate Reality: CEO Claims Airline Did Not Receive Bailout
Delta Air Lines’ CEO Ed Bastian argued with a straight face that Delta did not receive a taxpayer bailout during the pandemic. Does his claim have any merit? CEO Ed Bastian Claims Delta Air Lines Did Not Actually Receive a Bailout Earlier today I outlined Delta’s strong financial outlook for 2022 and how the Atlanta-based […]
UK Airlines Attack Omicron Restrictions, Demand Fresh Bailout
Airlines in the United Kingdom are pushing back against the latest government restrictions on travel, warning the measures have already destabilized and may create a “permanent scarring” of the airline industry. UK Airlines Push Back Against Government’s “Haphazard” Approach To Omicron Variant In a joint letter signed by the CEOs of airlines including British Airways, […]
Absurd Airline Hold Times Demonstrate Foolishness Of Bailouts
Have you tried to contact a U.S. airline lately? Hold times are ridiculous…and seem to be getting worse. Wasn’t this what bailouts were supposed to prevent against? Instead, the longer hold times demonstrate how airlines took taxpayer money, pocketed it, and still are operating with limited staff. Absurd Airline Hold Times Prove How Dumb Bailouts […]
Airline Bailout: Expansion, Gouging At Taxpayer Expense
Carriers weren’t shy to discuss the tremendous hardship they’d be under and just how many jobs would be lost if they weren’t granted a bailout. But now that the recovery is here, the airlines seem to have forgotten who their friends were. If you are considering booking travel or signing up for a new credit card please […]
Now the Mainstream Media Realizes Airline Bailouts Weren’t Necessary…
It only took the passage of a $1.9 trillion economic relief passage including tens of billions of dollars in airline subsidies, for a New York Times opinion to question the wisdom of such spending. A Critical Look At Airline Bailouts In The New York Times The piece comes from the always-feisty Andrew Ross Sorkin in his […]
Buttigieg Hints Third Airline Bailout May Be Slipped Into Relief Bill
U.S. airlines have already been bailed out twice and are pining for a third bailout. While negotiations are ongoing, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg expressed both an openness and confirmation of discussion on including a third bailout in a pending Congressional relief bill. Is A Third Airline Bailout Coming? Appearing on ABC’s “This Week,” Buttigieg essentially […]
Another Massive Bailout To US Airlines While Most Workers Get Bupkis…
The US Congress has just handed US airlines $15 billion in so-called “payroll support” as part of a new $900 billion stimulus bill. The math is alarming, especially considering that many Americans actually suffering will receive a pittance. US Airlines Benefit Greatly In New Stimulus Bill With Congress unable to reach a deal ahead prior […]
Insanity: South African Airways Receives Huge Bailout
During a time in which even once-healthy airlines around the world are fighting for survival, South Africa just injected a whole lot more cash into South African Airways. Is this simply doing the same thing over and over again while expecting a result, the definition of insanity? Or is it even worse considering the current […]
The Fallout of No New Airline Bailout
Now that furloughs have been announced, the failure to secure a second bailout for airlines is no longer theory, rather it’s reality. If you are considering booking travel or signing up for a new credit card please click here. Both support LiveAndLetsFly.com. If you haven’t followed us on Facebook or Instagram, add us today. First Bailout Labor Guarantees […]
United’s Last Ditch Effort To Secure Second Bailout
With furloughs looming, United Airlines has teamed up with its union counterparts to offer one final plea for a second bailout to Congress and the Administration. United Airlines Offers Final Plea For Second Bailout With furloughs less than two weeks away, United shared another note it sent to key political figures yesterday. The letter is […]
Delta CEO Warns Of Catastrophic Job Losses Without Another Bailout
Rich Uncle Pennybags Bastian has warned of “furloughs in the tens of thousands” without more help from the federal government for the U.S. airline industry. Joining the Kirby Khorus, Bastian is firmly behind another taxpayer-funded bailout for Delta and other U.S. airlines, insisting it is necessary to avoid catastrophic job losses. Delta CEO: Catastrophic Job […]
United Airlines CEO Courts White House Officials For Second Bailout
United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby is ramping up pressure for an extension to the Payroll Support Program by personally lobbying senior members of the White House and Congress. Will he succeed in a helping to secure a second bailout? CEO Kirby: United Will Survive With Or Without Second Bailout In a video message to employees […]
Desperate Republicans Embrace Another Bailout For U.S. Airlines
You may dispute the bias of my headline, but it is not intended to be a knock against the Grand Old Party as much as a descriptive adjective. The news, however, objectively represents a certain amount of desperation on the part of Senate Republicans in tight races as well as the President. Put simply: let […]
United CEO Hopeful For New $32 Billion Airline Bailout
In a town hall meting with employees, United Airlines’ CEO Scott Kirby expressed hope that an additional round of airline federal payroll support will avert looming October job cuts. Kirby “Hopeful” That CARES Act 2 Will Pass Speaking to employees last week, Kirby said: “I know October 1st is a scary date that’s looking at […]
