Spirit Airlines Announces New $11 Million Operational Control Center in Greater Nashville Area

Spirit to bring more than 240 jobs to Tennessee with nearly 100 more to be added over the next five years


MIRAMAR, Fla., Feb. 13, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- America’s fastest-growing airline is expanding behind the scenes to support its growing operation and set the stage for future expansion. Spirit Airlines (NYSE: SAVE) will bolster network resiliency and reduce hurricane and tropical storm risk by bringing more than 240 Team Members from its Operational Control Center (OCC) in Miramar, Fla., to a nearly 49,000-square-foot facility in Williamson County, Tenn. The transition is scheduled to be completed by early 2021, and Spirit also plans to add nearly 100 more positions at the OCC over the next five years.

The OCC controls round-the-clock flight operations for more than 650 flights each day across the U.S., Latin America and the Caribbean. Team Members are responsible for flight dispatch, crew scheduling, maintenance control, aircraft routing, air traffic control coordination, Guest solutions and more. Spirit’s operations team is instrumental in the airline’s commitment to invest in the Guest experience and deliver the Best Value in the Sky. Spirit secured industry acclaim as the country's most on-time Low Cost Airline by Flight Global, as well as international recognition as the Low Cost Airline of the Year at the CAPA World Aviation Summit and Air Transport World's Value Airline of the Year. Spirit’s OCC team efforts have helped the airline achieve among the best on-time performance for the past two years.

The Music City came out on top in a nationwide search due to its geographic location, business climate and growing aviation sector. Spirit started Nashville service in October 2019 with new nonstop flights to Baltimore/Washington (BWI), Fort Lauderdale (FLL), Las Vegas (LAS), New Orleans (MSY), Orlando (MCO) and Tampa (TPA). Soon, Nashville gets even More Go with the upcoming launch of nonstop flights to Austin (AUS), Newark (EWR), Los Angeles (LAX) and Cancun (CUN).

More than 700 of Spirit’s Miramar-based Team Members will move into the airline’s new corporate headquarters scheduled to open near the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport in 2022. The airline also plans to add an additional 225 positions at the new HQ to support Spirit’s expanding domestic and international operations.

The OCC move coincides with Spirit’s plan to double its all-Airbus fleet to about 300 aircraft over the next five years. The airline recently finalized an order for the delivery of 100 new Airbus A320neo Family Aircraft through 2027.

Quotes

“We are committed to our South Florida community, and Florida’s Hometown Airline will continue to create new jobs by supporting our international network and fleetwide training needs from our Broward County home. At the same time, we look forward to building on our plans for future expansion and protecting our growing 24/7 operation by starting this new chapter in Nashville.” – Ted Christie, President and CEO of Spirit Airlines

“I’d like to welcome Spirit Airlines to Tennessee and thank their team for being one of the latest companies to call our state home. Last year, Tennessee was for the first time named the number one best fiscally managed state in the country, and we are proud to highlight this ranking as we continue to recruit companies from around the globe to do business in the Volunteer State.” – Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee

“In the past year, we’ve seen an influx of companies choosing to locate new operations in Tennessee, which is a tremendous vote of confidence to our state’s thriving business climate and superior workforce. We are honored that Spirit Airlines has chosen Tennessee as the home of its Operations Control Center and are appreciative of the company’s investment and commitment to bring nearly 350 new jobs in Williamson County.” – TNECD Commissioner Bob Rolfe

About Spirit Airlines: 
Spirit Airlines (NYSE: SAVE) is committed to delivering the best value in the sky. We are the leader in providing customizable travel options starting with an unbundled fare. This allows our Guests to pay only for the options they choose — like bags, seat assignments and refreshments — something we call À La Smarte. We make it possible for our Guests to venture further and discover more than ever before. Our Fit Fleet® is one of the youngest and most fuel-efficient in the U.S. We operate more than 650 daily flights to 77 destinations in the U.S., Latin America and the Caribbean, and are dedicated to giving back and improving the communities we serve. Come save with us at spirit.com. At Spirit Airlines, we go. We go for you.

Spirit Media Relations
954.364.0231
Media_Relations@spirit.com