PIT CEO: Thank You to Everyone at Spirit Airlines
PIT spent nine years interacting with everyone from Spirit’s CEO to network planning, marketing, operations, airport properties teams
By Christina Cassotis
Published May 4, 2026
Read Time: 2 mins
Valentine’s Day 2017, we got formal notification that Spirit Airlines would serve Pittsburgh International Airport. At the time, we were working hard to rebuild the region’s perception with airlines globally. We were working to make sure that our airport had the right mix of airlines and airline business models to serve the broad range of passengers in our market.
The Spirit Story at PIT
At its peak, Spirit carried over 10 percent of Pittsburgh’s airline passengers and served nine markets. Spirit’s airline service helped more Pittsburghers see the world and helped the world discover Pittsburgh.
As an airport team, we have spent nine years interacting with everyone from Spirit’s CEO, and C-suite, to their teams in network planning, marketing, operations and airport properties.
We navigated a global pandemic and the planning, design and construction of new facilities with the people in those roles. We have supported their partners at the airport – the ground handlers who check people in at the ticket counter and the baggage handlers who load and unload baggage and cargo onto and off of the airplanes.
As of March 2026, Spirit carried 3.5 percent of our passengers and served three markets. It’s been a slow and painful process to watch the airline struggle.
PIT CEO Christina Cassotis (right) with Spirit representatives on hand for the airline’s launch of service at the airport on May 26, 2017. (Photo by Beth Hollerich)
This Weekend’s News
At 3 a.m. Saturday, our communications team sent out the updated messaging we would use for our Board, our team and the media. We have been aware that this day may eventually come. We have had communications and operational strategies in place just in case.
Terminal signage was changed. Our website was updated. Our customer service staff had updated FAQs in case they got questions from travelers. The aircraft that had been positioned at PIT overnight was relocated away from the terminal for temporary storage.
The Facts and the Feelings
As airports, we manage risk daily. It is our job to be prepared and ready for situations we hope will never happen – and to have strategies in place to recover from incidents and impacts.
Each airline that serves our market is a partner who helps our community and helps others discover our community. An airline ceasing operations is a big deal. The people who worked to build and operate the airline have lost their jobs. Travelers’ plans are disrupted.
In Pittsburgh, we know this feeling. And no matter how “ready” we were, it still feels crummy.
Thank you to everyone at Spirit Airlines. We had a good run together. And you made a difference here.
Editor’s Note: Christina Cassotis is the CEO of Pittsburgh International Airport. Her comments can also be found on her LinkedIn page here.
