The American ultra-low cost airline has appointed Dave Davis as president and Chief Executive Officer. The appointment, announced on Thursday by Spirit’s parent company, comes as the airline emerges from bankruptcy.
A New Chapter
Dave Davis replaces longtime president and CEO Ted Christie who resigned on 07 April after leading the company through a successful restructuring.
Prior to his appointment at Spirit Airlines, Davis held the position of President and Chief Financial Officer at Sun Country Airlines, another ultra-low cost American airline based at Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport. He was also previously the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Northwest Airlines.
Industry experts believe that his success at Sun Country, which has managed to avoid the financial woes that fellow budget airlines Spirit and Frontier airlines have experienced, was a driving force behind his appointment at Spirit.
In August, Travel media company Skift reported that:
“As ultra-low-cost carriers like Spirit and Frontier falter, Sun Country has been able to routinely stand out as one of the most profitable airlines in the U.S.”
Speaking of Davis’ appointment, Robert Milton, chairman of Spirit Airlines said:
“He brings with him a wealth of experience and a solid track record of accomplishments from his many years in the airline industry. [That] positions him well to lead Spirit’s continued transformation.”
Echoing these sentiments, Davis said:
“I am thrilled to join Spirit at this critical time in the company’s history. I look forward to working with the more than 11,000 Spirit team members to deliver value for our guests, shareholders, and the communities that we serve.”
What is next for Spirit Airlines?
After failed merger attempts with JetBlue and Frontier, some are speculating that Davis’ experience with Northwest Airlines before its merger with Delta Air Lines, could mean that he will be the man to finally lead the airline through a successful merger.
According to regulatory filings by Spirit with the U.S. Security and Exchange Commission, the new chief executive will receive a three-year employment package with a $950,000 annual base salary and a $4 million signing bonus.
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