An air traffic controller at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport made a moving tribute to the pilots of Spirit Airlines flight NK-1833 from Detroit, after realizing that the flight was to be the last ever flight of the ultra-low-cost carrier to land after it went into liquidation in the early hours of Saturday morning.
Spirit flight NK-1833 departed Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport at around 10:30 pm on May 1 for what should have been a routine two and a half hour flight to Dallas.
Here are the last ATC communications between the final Spirit Airlines flight to land, flight NK1833, and Dallas/Fort Worth Airport (KDFW) Tower. pic.twitter.com/yqQhU07zz2
— Turbine Traveller (@Turbinetraveler) May 2, 2026
As the A320 aircraft flew across the United States at 26,000 feet, the plane quickly became the Number 1 most tracked flight in the world as thousands of aviation enthusiasts realized that this was not only the only Spirit Airlines flight in the air, but very possibly the last.
That realization was not lost on the pilots, either, after a day of frenzied speculation about Spirit’s future kicked off with the Wall Street Journal reporting that the airline had just hours left pending a last-minute bailout deal that could be brokered between the Trump administration and Spirit’s creditors.
Hours later, the WSJ was first to break the news that Spirit was preparing to shut down its operations at 3:00 am ET.
As Spirit flight NK-1833 was on its approach for landing, one of the pilots asked the air traffic controller whether he could see any other Spirit flights up in the air. The air traffic controller found it difficult to speak as he searched his system and drew a blank on any other Spirit flights being in the air or due to depart.
The pilot then suggested his flight could be the last ever revenue service for Spirit, to which the air traffic controller responded: “It was a pleasure working with you guys, and I wish you the best.”
Sadly, the pilot’s fears were soon realized when Spirit issued a statement, confirming that it had started what it described as an “orderly wind down” process, which began at 3:00 am on May 2.
“To our Guests: all flights have been cancelled, and customer service is no longer available,” the aorline said in a statement, urging customers not to travel to the airport.
Passengers who used a credit or debit card to book a flight through the Spirit website should receive a refund to their original form of payment automatically. Passengers who booked through a travel agent, including online services like Expedia, should contact the travel agent.
Meanwhile, anyone who used frequent flyer miles or flight credits to book a flight will have to wait to see what happens through the bankruptcy court proces.
