Can The People Revive Spirit

Spirit Airlines has officially collapsed after 34 years in commercial aviation, leaving behind thousands of stranded passengers, over 17,000 affected employees, and one major question: could the people bring the airline back to life?In this episode of Rod’s Scholarly Opinion, Rodney McNeil breaks down the rise and fall of Spirit Airlines, from its origins as a trucking company to becoming one of America’s most recognizable ultra-low-cost carriers. Rodney explores how COVID-19, bankruptcy, fuel inflation, government intervention, and the blocked JetBlue merger pushed Spirit toward liquidation.But the story takes an unexpected turn when internet personality Hunter Peterson proposes a bold idea: a publicly owned airline funded by ordinary people. Could “Spirit 2.0” actually work, or is it just another internet fantasy?This episode examines the legal, financial, and operational realities of running an airline while asking a larger question about the future of public ownership, corporate power, and the role of the people in shaping industries.