U.S. low-cost carrier Spirit Airlines announced the opening of a new crew base in Houston. According to the company, 150 pilots and 300 cabin crew will reside in the Texan city and will operate flights to and from George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH).
The first crew members will be based in Houston starting next fall. Subsequently, more employees will be hired to supervise and support operations.
The initiative, announced last Tuesday, comes three months after Spirit Airlines announced plans to establish an aircraft maintenance center at Houston’s main airport, which would employ 50 people and thus strengthen its presence in the city. According to the company, both investments will seek to support the logistics of its growing network of destinations.
Spirit Airlines’ current crew bases (those points where pilots and flight attendants typically begin and end their duty hours) are located at Atlanta (ATL), Atlantic City (ACY), Chicago-O’Hare (ORD), Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW), Detroit (DTW), Fort Lauderdale (FLL), Las Vegas (LAS), Miami (MIA) and Orlando (MCO).
«This year marks our tenth anniversary in Houston, and it’s the perfect time to celebrate this expansion that will bolster the foundation of our operation as our airline continues to grow», said Nick Bartolotta, the company’s VP of Operations and Crew Planning. «Houston is a key international gateway in our flight network, and we greatly appreciate the strong partnership with the city and airport that helped make this opportunity a reality», he added.
Spirit Airlines’ growing presence in Houston
According to information obtained by Aviacionline through Cirium, Houston is the airline’s fifth largest base of operations during the current summer season. Some 6.7% of its total services start or end there. Total seats offer from George Bush Intercontinental Airport will reach 483.416 between July and September.
Currently, the company provides services between Houston and 16 domestic destinations. It also operates seven international routes. Beginning next fall, it will inaugurate flights to Monterrey (MTY), Mexico.
