A viral online campaign to collectively purchase Spirit Airlines has attracted tens of thousands of participants and millions in pledged funds, though the effort remains informal and non-binding.
Campaign Emerges After Sudden Airline Shutdown
The initiative began after Spirit Airlines halted operations overnight, canceling all flights, laying off 17,000 employees, and advising ticket holders not to travel to airports. The shutdown prompted reactions from customers who had relied on the airline’s low-cost model.
TikTok Post Sparks “Spirit 2.0” Idea
Voice actor Hunter Peterson proposed the idea on TikTok, suggesting that a portion of U.S. adults could contribute small amounts to collectively acquire the airline. He referred to the concept as “Spirit 2.0: Owned by the People.”
Peterson quickly launched a website to collect interest. Within a day, about 36,000 people had signed up as “founding patrons,” with pledges totaling nearly $23 million. The site experienced outages due to traffic volume.
Pledges Remain Non-Binding And Far Below Required Capital
The pledged funds are not committed investments. Restarting or acquiring an airline typically requires funding in the billions of dollars, far exceeding the amounts indicated by participants in the campaign.
Peterson acknowledged the gap between the idea and practical requirements, noting that the effort is exploratory and informal.
Organizer Seeks Industry Support As Campaign Continues
In follow-up posts, Peterson asked for assistance from aviation lawyers, public relations professionals, and other industry experts to evaluate the feasibility of the concept. He indicated awareness of the complexities involved while continuing to engage participants in the campaign.
Featured image credits: Wikimedia Commons
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