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American Airlines has stepped into Spirit Airlines' bankruptcy case, asking a federal court to send it every document related to the process.

The request was made in a December 5 filing in the Southern District of New York. By joining the case in this way, American wants to stay fully informed as Spirit works through its financial troubles.

Spirit filed for bankruptcy in August. It was the second time the airline had to take that step, after struggling with low cash reserves and growing losses.

Because of the strain, Spirit said it would look at every possible path forward. That included a major change to the company, such as a sale or a merger.

According to Reuters, in an earlier filing with the SEC, Spirit explained that it was "actively working to explore all potential opportunities" and talking with "a number of interested counterparties."

American's new filing shows that the airline wants to receive all key reports about Spirit's next moves.

That includes updates on daily operations, any plans to reorganize the business, and possible liquidation documents if the company heads in that direction.

Neither airline returned requests for comment, leaving many wondering what role American hopes to play.

Spirit Airlines Stays Open to All Options

Spirit has not shared which companies it is speaking with, but the carrier has said it is open to any idea that could help it survive.

The company has continued to reassure travelers that flights are still operating and that the bankruptcy process is meant to give it room to rebuild.

This move by American comes during a year of shifting airline partnerships. Earlier in 2024, the US Supreme Court chose not to hear American's appeal in a case involving its former Northeast partnership with JetBlue, BusinessRecorder reported.

A lower court had ruled that the partnership broke antitrust laws, and without the Supreme Court stepping in, the ruling stood.

After that, JetBlue joined up with United Airlines in a deal that lets customers book flights across both airlines' websites.

Spirit pushed back on that partnership in June, saying it could limit competition and encourage large airlines to form similar alliances.

Tags

American Airlines, Spirit Airlines, Bankruptcy