In this article

UAL

Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNT

LONG BEACH, Calif. — United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby on Thursday predicted Spirit Airlines is going out of business and said the once-profitable discount airline model is dead.

Spirit Airlines filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection late last month for the second time in a year, after it failed to make deep enough changes during its first attempt only to be met with weaker customer demand and persistently high costs when it emerged in March.

Speaking at an industry conference here, when Kirby was asked by a moderator, airline industry journalist and podcaster Brian Sumers, why he thought Spirit was going to shut down, the CEO replied: "Because I'm good at math."

Read more CNBC airline news

Spirit Ai

See Full Page