But I am autistic, and Spirit Airlines was one of those hyper-fixations I have had since I started flying. I remember being a kid at the airport and seeing one of those big bright yellow planes for the first time and that was that. I have been flying since I was about 10, and Spirit airlines was one of my very first flights alone. Spirit never treated me poorly... we would leave late but I always got where I needed to be early. Spirit is the airline that allowed me to meet my fiance for the very first time years ago now (were LDR) and they were going to close the gap for us in a few weeks... now were scrambling to find something else that affordable... but that's neither here nor there.
I have severe anxiety, and Spirit was the one airline I wasn't afraid to fly on. Nervous to get there? sure... but once I was on the plane, I was ready to go. The attendants were always attentive, kind, and seemed to love their jobs. I have had many great conversations with them some of them even offered a kind word to me when I was crying on my flights home from visiting my partner, I have had plenty of conversations with the pilots... Spirit let me travel to many states, see some of the most beautiful places that I have ever seen, and make memories I cannot forget. During the first shut down when travel was unsure, Spirit got me there. When I was stuck somewhere and couldn't get home, Spirit was there.
I remember when I would see those yellow planes landing as I went by the airport how excited I would get... I feel silly for genuinely being so upset about this.
I also deeply feel for the people who suddenly lost their jobs... people who had worked at Spirit for years... I stupidly thought that there was going to be a last minute safety net and the sky school bus was gonna be saved... all those people could keep their jobs... the planes could keep flying. I could watch them on the flight trackers when I needed something to do... Point them out in the sky when I got to take trips to the airport (I love going to the airport) I was heartbroken hearing that pilot cry going over his time with Spirit and how he would miss it...
I worry about people who fly for work frequently who relied on airlines like Spirit...
I feel bad for the planes, which I know is silly... but as stated... I am autistic... and unfortunately for me (and everyone around me), I tend to become very emotionally attached to inanimate objects...
I dunno... I guess I just wanted to get it out. I am genuinely heartbroken... I feel like I am mourning.
I figured this place might be the one place I can find like minded people who understood me.