Spirit Airlines' Demise Left This US Airport With Zero Commercial Flights

Low-cost airlines have faced some significant challenges in the last few years. Increased competition, shifts in consumer preferences following the pandemic, and operational challenges have all eaten into their already tight margins. The spike in jet fuel costs has also made an already ongoing issue even more problematic. Some airlines have responded by decreasing flights to destinations like Las Vegas and even cutting some routes around the country altogether, while others have faced more drastic consequences. Spirit, once the pioneer of low-cost commercial flying in the U.S., has had to cease all operations.

Spirit's shutdown will have a major impact on summer travel, leaving tourists stranded, out of pocket, and with fewer affordable options. It has also had the surprising consequence of leaving Arnold Palmer Regional Airport (LBE) without a single commercial flight on its books! The airport previously hosted one flight a day and was left routeless overnight following Spirit's collapse on May 2. Arnold Palmer Regional Airport is based in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, just outside of Pittsburgh. Spirit launched flights from the airport in 2011, with regular flights to Orlando and Fort Lauderdale and seasonal flights to Myrtle Beach.

Spirit's use of Arnold Palmer Regional Airport had an enormous impact on passenger numbers, which skyrocketed from just under 7,000 in 2010 to nearly 356,000 in 2015. Spirit offered national flight routes to the small community in Latrobe, and while some charter flights will continue running out of Arnold Palmer Regional Airport, the airline's demise is a big blow for the region. The nearest airport with commercial flights will now be Pittsburgh International Airport, over an hour's drive away on the other side of the city.

As well as reducing the options for travelers in the area, the Spirit shutdown will have an impact on the economy of the local area and the small businesses based in and around Arnold Palmer Regional Airport. For the moment, on-site businesses like the rental car companies and the Italian restaurant, DeNunzio's, are staying open, but there will be a significant reduction in customers, and it is likely that changes are on the way.

However, while other airport staff are braced for redundancies, Anthony DeNunzio II, the owner of DeNunzio's, remains bullish. Speaking to journalists, he said, "People have worked here at this restaurant and at this airport for decades. We don't anticipate that changing. Here in Latrobe, we don't anticipate changing anything. We're going to be here. We're going to be open seven days a week."

Despite the bad news, things are business as usual at Arnold Palmer Regional Airport for the moment. Ground staff carried out a full-scale disaster drill on Wednesday, 6 May, something which is mandatory in order to meet Federal Aviation Authority requirements. This indicates that the airport is expecting, or at least hoping, to be able to attract another commercial carrier in the near future, although this will likely take some time. In the past, the Midwest's underrated cities were well-connected to Latrobe. US Airways flew from Arnold Palmer Regional Airport to Chicago, while Northwest serviced a route to Detroit, which ended in 2009.

Perhaps most encouraging of all for the businesses and communities in Latrobe, which relied on Spirit's use of the airport, is the recent $22 million terminal expansion (due to complete in summer 2026), which has doubled the size of the airport to around 100,000 square feet. This will give the airport a huge boost in capacity and allow it to handle two flights at the same time. This makes Arnold Palmer Regional Airport a far more enticing prospect for a new low-cost partner.