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tremely cheap, and then charge passengers fees for everything taken for granted at other airlines (drinks, carry-on bags, etc.).

The customer experience was terrible, though. And Spirit got buffeted by changes during the pandemic, while more established airlines matched its fares with basic economy. Spirit stopped making money in 2019.

With the JetBlue deal blocked, it couldn’t get an alternative merger done. It declared bankruptcy in 2024, and then again in August 2025. The recent spike in jet-fuel prices pushed it over the edge.

Elizabeth Warren was quick to say that “Trump’s war was the nail in the coffin for twice-bankrupted Spirit Airlines.” Well, yeah. But its vulnerable state underlines how foolish it was to keep it from getting the lifeline it so desperately needed from a merger.

Ronald Reagan said the most terrifying words in the English language are, “I’m from the government, and I’m here to help.” The Spirit fiasco shows that perhaps equally frightening are the words, “I’m with the DOJ antitrust division and I’m here to protect consumers.”

Rich Lowry is editor of the National Review. (c) 2026 by King Features Synd., Inc.