Why Spirit Airlines' Jets Are Heading To The Desert

TL;DR

Spirit Airlines' 66 leased jets are being flown to Arizona desert storage sites after bankruptcy, where they'll be re-leased or stripped for parts.

Key Points

• 1.Spirit's fleet required rapid relocation after shutdown. Pilot Steve Giordano's team moved all aircraft within 8 days to Marana (near Tucson) or Goodyear (near Phoenix), coordinating fuel, FAA airworthiness permits, flight plans, and crew — with no passengers allowed onboard.
• 2.The desert is the destination because planes need storage or dismantling. Spirit had 66 leased aircraft when it ceased operations; lessors want their planes back, and some will be re-leased to other airlines while others are parted out at MRO facilities.
• 3.Engines are the most valuable asset, driven by an aerospace supply crisis. A Pratt & Whitney V2500 engine fetched $14.5 million in January 2024, up from $11.3 million three years prior, as Boeing and Airbus production delays cost the industry an estimated $11 billion annually per IATA.