Spirit Airlines is willing to be creative with route frequencies, particularly as it contends with its exposure to the latest Pratt & Whitney Geared Turbofan (GTF) engine issue and ongoing air traffic control constraints, Vice President for Network Planning John Kirby says.

The Florida-based ULCC typically likes to operate routes daily to maximize aircraft utilization, but the carrier has not had a full fleet lately. Speaking Aug. 14 at the TakeOff North America Conference in Atlantic City, New Jersey, Kirby said Spirit is “open to doing less-than-daily” frequencies on routes where it makes sense from a utilization and demand standpoint.

Up to 13 Spirit engines are in the group of the initial 200 engines Pratt & Whitney has identified for accelerated inspection due to a manufacturing matter affecting turbine discs. As a result, seven Airbus A320neo aircraft were removed from Spirit’s scheduled post-Labor Day service.

Spirit is the largest operator of GTF-powered neo-family aircraft in the U.S., with the highest number of engines produced during the 2015 to 2021 period in question, CEO Ted Christie said on a recent earnings call. The airline already had seven aircraft out of service because of previously disclosed unscheduled neo engine removals.

Kirby told the TakeOff North America audience there is a “good story” to tell regarding Spirit catching up on staffing post-pandemic. “But now we're getting hit with this aircraft [engine] issue,” he said.

Spirit “lovingly refers” to the parked A320neos as “gliders,” Kirby said.

The airline can fly less-than-daily frequencies on a route “a couple different ways,” Kirby continued, adding: “I always like to start daily, because I think it gives you a good insight as to what days will be the strongest. And if we see weakness, we'll adjust."

Kirby added: "The other thing we like to do is we combine markets [with an aircraft]. We don't like to leave planes sitting on the ground. So, we'll operate four days a week to one destination and three days a week to another.”