'Let's Buy Spirit': TikTokers pledge millions to revive defunct airline
What's the story
Spirit Airlines has shut down after the $500 million bailout plan was rejected by institutional equity holders. However, a group of budget-conscious flyers has started a movement on TikTok called "Let's Buy Spirit" to save the airline. The campaign has gained massive traction with over 37,000 participants pledging nearly $22.8 million collectively.
Origin
Movement was started by voice actor Hunter Peterson
The "Let's Buy Spirit" movement was started by Hunter Peterson, a voice actor with credits in several video games. He announced the launch of letsbuyspiritair.com on May 2 via a TikTok video that has since garnered millions of views. In the clip, Peterson suggested that if 20% of America's adult population contributed $30-$40 each (the average cost of Spirit Airlines tickets), they could collectively buy the airline.
Proposal details
A new Instagram account for Spirit
Peterson's proposal was simple yet ambitious: "We nationalize Spirit Airlines, owned by the people." He also created an Instagram account @SpiritAir2.0, which has gained over 100,000 followers in just two days. The website letsbuyspiritair.com crashed due to the overwhelming response, but is now back online with a message highlighting that Spirit didn't fail because of a lack of passengers, but due to debt imposed by Wall Street.
Call for assistance
Peterson is now seeking help from aviation experts
Despite the massive support for his movement, Peterson is well aware that the actual cost of buying and restarting an airline runs into billions. He has posted a video seeking help from aviation lawyers, PR experts, and other professionals to take this movement forward. "I know what I don't know," he told his followers, but added that he's committed to this idea and is looking for assistance.