Spirit Airlines (NK, Fort Lauderdale International) will improve its network resiliency and reduce hurricane and tropical storm risk by relocating around 240 staff from its Operational Control Center (OCC) in Miramar, Florida to a 49,000 square foot (4,500 sqm) facility close to Nashville International in Tennessee. The move is planned to be completed by early 2021, and the ultra-low-cost carrier (ULCC) also intends to add nearly 100 more positions at the new OCC over the next five years.
The OCC controls round-the-clock flight operations for more than 650 flights each day across the US, Latin America, and the Caribbean. Amongst other tasks, OCC staff are responsible for flight dispatch, crew scheduling, maintenance control, aircraft routing, air traffic control coordination and guest solutions.
“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,” said Ted Christie, President and Chief Executive Officer of Spirit Airlines. “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.”
Spirit started Nashville operations in October 2019 with new nonstop flights to Baltimore International, Fort Lauderdale International, Las Vegas Harry Reid, New Orleans International, Orlando International and Tampa International. Later this year the ULCC will also launch services to Austin-Bergstrom International, New York Newark, Los Angeles International and Cancún from the Tennessee airport.
More than 700 of Spirit’s Miramar-based employees will move into the airline’s new corporate headquarters scheduled to open near Fort Lauderdale Airport in 2022. The ULCC will add an extra 225 positions at the new HQ to support its expanding operations.
The move to the new OCC coincides with Spirit’s plan to double its all-Airbus fleet to around 300 aircraft over the next five years. The ULCC finalised an order for the delivery of 100 new A320neo family aircraft in October 2019, together with the option to purchase up to 50 additional aircraft. The firm order jets include twenty A321-200neo, thirty-three A320-200neo, and forty-seven A319-100neo whose delivery is planned to run through 2027.
