Airline axing 250 jobs for fuel costs

MIRAMAR, Fla., July 4 (UPI) -- Spirit Airlines of Miramar, Fla., has announced about 250 jobs will be eliminated and capacity will be cut by 6 percent to help offset fuel prices.

The low-cost airline said it also plans to retire five of its aircraft and begin selling more items aboard planes to boost revenue when the measures go into effect this fall, The Miami Herald reported Friday.

The company also said it is abandoning plans that called for 10 percent growth in 2008.

"Fuel is our largest single expense," said Spirit Chief Executive Ben Baldanza. "And as oil prices get higher and higher, the hurdle we will have to reach to make a route economically feasible to fly gets higher and higher."

Baldanza said the layoffs will include 200 pilots and flight attendants and 50 non-crew employees. He said the majority of non-crew layoffs would be based in South Florida.

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