The job cuts come after Spirit received a multi-million-dollar lifeline from a U.S. bankruptcy court, giving the ultra-low-cost carrier more legroom to stay afloat.
Frontier is rolling out 20 new routes, some in direct competition with Spirit. If Spirit falters, Frontier would be well-positioned to scoop up market share.
Spirit and Frontier are trying to reach profitability in a grim domestic market. While Frontier is seeing some gains from its premium shift, Spirit is in a more dire situation.