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Spirit Airlines Seeks Suspension Of PTI Airport Flights

A Spirit passenger plane at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (AP Photo/Alan Diaz)

Spirit Airlines is asking for federal approval to suspend flights from several locations, including the Piedmont Triad International Airport.

The U.S. Department of Transportation is considering requests from more than a dozen carriers to halt flights in several cities across the country, as airlines struggle with fewer passengers and revenue losses during the coronavirus pandemic. 

Spirit Airlines, which specializes in low fares, wants to include Greensboro on its list. The carrier began service at Piedmont Triad International Airport in 2018. It offered non-stop trips to Fort Lauderdale, Tampa, and Orlando, Florida.

Company spokesman Erik Hofmeyer says Spirit isn't leaving the market but is temporarily suspending the PTI route until November. He says tickets for November flights remain available on their website.

Spirit is also asking to suspend services in Asheville.

U.S. DOT officials granted tentative exemptions for some carriers, including Spirit, last month. It's unclear when they will issue a final decision.

Airlines must get approval as a condition of receiving bailout money under the federal stimulus.

For the most up-to-date information on coronavirus in North Carolina, visit our Live Updates blog here. WFDD wants to hear your stories — connect with us and let us know what you're experiencing.

*Follow WFDD's Keri Brown on Twitter @kerib_news

Keri Brown is a multi-award winning reporter and host at 88.5 WFDD. She has been honored with two regional Edward R. Murrow awards for her stories about coal ash, and was named the 2015 radio reporter of the year by the Radio Television Digital News Association of the Carolinas (RTDNAC).Although she covers a variety of topics, her beats are environmental and education reporting.Keri comes to the Triad from West Virginia Public Broadcasting, where she served as the Chief Bureau Reporter for the Northern Panhandle. She produced stories for the state's Public Television and Radio programs and was honored by the West Virginia Associated Press Broadcasters Association for her feature and enterprise reporting.She also served as an adjunct instructor at Wheeling Jesuit University and Bethany College in West Virginia. She worked with the Center for Educational Technologies in Wheeling, WV, and other NASA centers across the country to develop several stories about the use of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) concepts in the classroom.Keri's journalism career began at WTRF-TV 7 in Wheeling. She worked in several roles at the station, including the head assignment editor. She also was a field producer and assignment manager at WPGH-TV Fox 53 in Pittsburgh.Keri is a graduate of Ohio University. When she's not in the studio or working on a story, she enjoys watching college football with her family, cooking, and traveling.Keri is always looking for another great story idea, so please share them with her. You can follow her on Twitter @kerib_news.

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