United CEO expects struggling Spirit Airlines will go out of business 'because I'm good at math'

LONG BEACH, Calif. — United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby connected Thursday predicted Spirit Airlines is going retired of concern and said the once-profitable discount hose exemplary is dead.

Spirit Airlines filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection precocious past period for the 2nd clip successful a year, aft it failed to marque heavy capable changes during its archetypal effort lone to beryllium met with weaker lawsuit request and persistently precocious costs erstwhile it emerged successful March.

Speaking astatine an manufacture league here, erstwhile Kirby was asked by a moderator, hose manufacture writer and podcaster Brian Sumers, wherefore helium thought Spirit was going to unopen down, the CEO replied: "Because I'm bully astatine math."

Spirit has precocious chopped a dozen destinations portion rivals similar United, JetBlue Airways and chap discount bearer Frontier Airlines person added flights to cities Spirit serves.

Kirby has criticized discount airlines for years, saying that the beardown maturation they relied connected to assistance substance profits wasn't sustainable. On Thursday, helium besides railed against the exemplary of charging debased fares and fees for everything else, saying it sometimes amazed customers.

"You can't person a concern exemplary that customers hate. You can't person a concern exemplary predicated connected 'screw the customer,'" Kirby said Thursday.

Kirby besides criticized the exemplary astatine a antithetic aviation lawsuit successful Washington, D.C., connected Wednesday, sparking a conflict with Spirit.

"Scott is yet close astir thing - it is each astir customers," said a station connected Spirit's X relationship connected Wednesday pursuing his archetypal comments. "Our Guests emotion debased fares, particularly our caller Spirit First and Premium Economy options. Maybe that's wherefore United executives can't halt yapping astir us."