Just days after Spirit Airlines officially shut down operations and cancelled all remaining flights, an unexpected internet movement has emerged attempting to revive the collapsed airline through a massive public crowdfunding campaign. What originally began as a humorous suggestion posted on TikTok has now evolved into a viral online initiative that claims to have attracted more than $337 million in nonbinding public pledges aimed at purchasing and relaunching the ultra-low-cost carrier.
The campaign was started by TikTok creator Hunter Peterson through a website called “Let’s Buy Spirit Air.” The initiative proposes an unusual public ownership model inspired by the structure used by the Green Bay Packers, one of the few major American sports franchises owned by fans rather than a billionaire owner or corporate group.
Peterson initially introduced the idea in a TikTok video that quickly went viral and accumulated millions of views across social media platforms. In the video, he suggested that ordinary people could collectively purchase the bankrupt airline and relaunch it as an airline “owned by the people.”
During the now widely circulated clip, Peterson joked, “This is a genius idea: We nationalize Spirit Airlines, owned by the people. Airlines gone. We make a new airline.” Although the proposal was originally presented in a humorous tone, the concept rapidly gained traction online as thousands of users began discussing the possibility seriously.
Soon afterward, Peterson created the website allowing supporters to submit financial pledges toward a potential acquisition and revival of the airline. According to the campaign’s figures, more than $337 million in public pledges had been recorded by Saturday night. However, organisers clarified that these are currently only nonbinding pledges and no actual money has yet been collected from participants.
In a later follow-up video, Peterson acknowledged that the idea had initially started more as an internet joke than a genuine business strategy. He admitted that the campaign had unexpectedly expanded far beyond what he originally anticipated, describing the situation as “rapidly going out of control in the best possible way.”
The public ownership idea behind the campaign heavily mirrors the fan-owned structure of the Green Bay Packers, a rare example in the United States where supporters hold ownership shares instead of a private investor or large corporation controlling the organisation.
The campaign gained additional attention because it emerged immediately after Spirit Airlines officially ceased operations on May 2 following weeks of severe financial instability and unsuccessful restructuring attempts. The airline abruptly stopped all flights and entered liquidation proceedings after reportedly failing to secure enough funding to continue operating.
The shutdown marked the collapse of a carrier that had spent more than three decades significantly influencing budget air travel in the United States. Spirit Airlines became widely known for aggressively promoting ultra-low fares and forcing larger airlines to compete more heavily on pricing in the low-cost travel market.
In a statement announcing the closure, Spirit Airlines President and CEO Dave Davis highlighted the airline’s long history within the aviation industry. He stated that for more than thirty years, Spirit Airlines had played a pioneering role in making air travel more affordable and accessible while helping connect millions of passengers across the country.
The company blamed several financial pressures for its collapse, including rising fuel costs and worsening economic challenges that severely affected operations and profitability. Industry analysts also noted that increasing operational expenses and competition within the airline sector had placed additional strain on the company in recent years.
Following the shutdown announcement, Spirit Airlines informed customers that passengers who booked flights directly through the airline using credit or debit cards would automatically receive refunds. A company spokesperson stated that refund processing had already begun and that most transactions had reportedly been completed by Saturday evening, although some customers could still experience delays before the money appears in their bank accounts.
Despite the enormous online attention generated by the TikTok-led campaign, there is currently no indication that the crowdfunding initiative has any official involvement in Spirit Airlines’ liquidation process or any legal access to the company’s assets. Aviation experts have also pointed out that purchasing and restarting a commercial airline would require far more than viral support, including regulatory approvals, operating licences, aircraft financing and significant long-term capital.
Nevertheless, the movement has become a striking example of how internet culture and social media communities can rapidly transform even a joke idea into a major viral phenomenon capable of drawing national attention and hundreds of millions of dollars in symbolic public support.
