Friday Custodian Update
Fellow Spirit ALPA Pilots,
As we all face the new reality of the continued wind down of our airline and moving on from our upended careers at Spirit Airlines, your custodian team has been hard at work. Much of this work has included finding answers to individual questions regarding pay, 401(k), COBRA, outstanding grievances and NCCs, etc. While there are still many open issues and outstanding questions, we wanted to provide an update on what we know and establish a cadence for our communications going forward.
Beginning with this communication, the goal of the custodian team will be to communicate each Friday if there is new information to report. If there is urgent information to communicate, we will do so immediately. We will also keep the website updated, so please check it regularly. All communications and posted information are located on the shutdown website at spa.alpa.org/shutdown.
Pay Update
The Custodian team met with the Company this week to continue discussions surrounding pilot pay. We have been told by Spirit management that there will be no checks issued today, May 15, 2026. This is due to the Crew Pay team having to perform manual audits for both the April 2026 reconciliation and work performed May 1 and 2, 2026. The Company informed us they expect the auditing process to conclude this week and anticipate issuing checks for the monies owed for April 2026 and May 1 and 2, next week.
There are still several outstanding issues in terms of pay, for instance, the status of payment of our sick and vacation banks. These discussions remain ongoing and your custodian team is pressing management for timely and accurate pay processing.
Drug and Alcohol Update
Last week we posted contact information and an FAQ for DOT Drug and Alcohol records. While Charles Grau is overseeing the program, it is requested that all requests for personal DOT Drug and Alcohol records are made to 40.25request@spirit.com. Please reference last week’s Drug and Alcohol FAQ for further information.
401(k) Update
The plan is in the process of termination. However, Schwab is first working through the necessary plan testing, which includes 100% vesting of accounts that have remained active since 2021 and a true-up. Once Schwab and the Company come to an agreement on the results of the testing, vesting, and true-up processes, a formal letter outlining the terms of the plan termination will be shared with our pilot group. In the meantime, please make sure to update your Schwab profile with a personal email address. We have been informed that some pilots still have their company email, which is no longer active or valid, attached to their account. Please also reference the 401(k) document from last week’s communication for additional information.
COBRA/Healthcare Update
One of the most frequently asked questions of the custodial team is where can I find a benefits “termination” letter addressed specifically to me? If you have not received your individually addressed letter, you may create a profile to download a copy of your individually addressed COBRA letter from the INSPIRA website. The letter, whether received by USPS or printed from your online COBRA portal, should show a date within 14 days of the plan termination date of May 2, 2026. However, the Company did post a general benefits termination letter on the employee transition page, it has also been attached to this communication and uploaded to the shutdown website.
The COBRA letter is essential to prove a qualifying life event to enroll in other coverage. Please also reference the COBRA document from last week’s communication for additional information.
Please continue to check the website for additional information and watch out for additional updates from the Custodian team on Fridays. Please reach out via DART or email with any questions. We are here for you as you move through this challenging time.
In Unity,
SPA Custodian Team