Spirit Airlines CEO Ted Christie to Step Down

Spirit Airlines President and CEO Ted Christie is stepping down from the low-cost carrier.

Christie, who joined Spirit in April 2012 and has served as president and CEO since January 2019, will step down from both roles and leave the airline’s board of directors effective today.

In the interim, an Office of the President—comprising Executive Vice President and CFO Fred Cromer, Executive Vice President and COO John Bendoraitis, and Senior Vice President and General Counsel Thomas Canfield—will oversee operations while the board searches for a permanent replacement.

Spirit Chairman Robert Milton thanked Christie in a statement Monday, writing, “Ted has seen a lot and done a lot during his tenure here. He kept the company together through challenging times, and for this we wish him all the best going forward.”

At the same time, Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer Matt Klein is also stepping down. He will be succeeded by Rana Ghosh, who has served as senior vice president and chief transformation officer since June 2024.

It has been a turbulent stretch for Spirit, which formally exited bankruptcy last month, nearly four months after filing for Chapter 11 protection. The airline was the first U.S. carrier in more than 40 years to declare bankruptcy.

In recent years, Spirit has also been at the center of two failed acquisition attempts. JetBlue offered $3.8 billion to acquire the airline before a federal judge blocked the deal. Earlier this year, Frontier Airlines made an offer, which Spirit ultimately rejected in favor of a bankruptcy restructuring.

Looking ahead, questions remain about Spirit’s long-term direction. During a strategy event last year, then–Chief Commercial Officer Matt Klein said the airline was shifting away from its ultra-low-cost model to target more premium travelers through fare bundling, larger seat options, onboard Wi-Fi, and included food and beverage service.