Spirit Airlines’ parent company is seeking court approval to auction 20 owned Airbus narrowbody aircraft as part of its Chapter 11 restructuring, with the jets expected to be delivered with their Wi-Fi systems removed.
## Key Details
– **Aircraft for Sale:** 20 Airbus narrowbodies (13 A320-200s, 7 A321-200s)
– **Stalking Horse Bid:** ~$533.5 million from CSDS Asset Management
– **Auction Target:** Starting bids around $554 million
– **Timeline:** Auction expected in April 2026
## The Wi-Fi Twist
The aircraft will be delivered with Thales connectivity equipment removed, including external radomes. Spirit had previously equipped parts of its fleet with Thales’ FlytLIVE high-speed Wi-Fi system.
## Why It Matters
The sale underscores Spirit’s fleet right-sizing under bankruptcy restructuring. Monetizing owned assets raises cash and reduces carrying costs as the ultra-low-cost carrier works to survive.
Spirit has struggled with heavy debt load, failed JetBlue merger, intense domestic competition, and rising costs.