How Antitrust Policy Helped Kill Spirit Airlines

Most Americans are familiar with the frustrations of air travel, including high fares and limited options. Those less versed in the history of airline regulation may not realize that this oligopoly was built with government help from the very beginning, and that antitrust crusaders who claim to fight Big Business often end up strengthening the very monopolies they set out to break up.

The following article was originally published by the Mises Institute. The opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of Peter Schiff or SchiffGold.

On Saturday, Spirit Airlines officially shut down all operations.

The announcement came after negotiations for a nine-figure government bailout fell through. The budget airline was unable to continue business with the soaring price of jet fuel that has resulted from Trump’s war on Iran. But that was merely an accelerant. Spirit’s financial trouble goes back to the covid years.