ICYMI: Ronna McDaniel Slams Democrats Over Spirit Airlines Shutdown
Lansing, MI – Chair of Competitiveness Coalition and CEO of Michigan Forward Network Ronna McDaniel penned an op-ed today in Fox News slamming the Democrat-backed bankruptcy of Spirit Airlines that stranded thousands of passengers. McDaniel started by recounting Spirit’s effort to avoid bankruptcy through the free market and how it was crushed by President Joe Biden’s administration:
“Eventually, JetBlue and Spirit announced their merger agreement to create a "low-fare challenger" to the Big Four before the Biden Department of Justice, led by Assistant Attorney General for the Antitrust Division Jonathan Kanter and supported by then-Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, sued to block the merger. Massachusetts Democrat Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a known critic of successful companies, had piled on and urged the DOT to block the merger in a 2023 letter.”
McDaniel goes on to explain that this sort of anti-business policy is at the core of today’s Democrat Party:
“For the socialists calling the shots in today’s Democratic Party, success is a sin, and the only solution is government intervention. They believe that they know best, and do not believe private sector innovation and market forces can lead to advantageous outcomes.”
The shutdown of Spirit has a significant impact on Michigan in particular. The airline was responsible for 11% of all flights operated out of Detroit Metro Airport (DTW). Last year, it generated $26 millon in revenue for the airport, and moved more than a million passengers. The Wayne County Airport Authority will now be forced to backfill that revenue by raising fees on other airlines.
“There was a concerted effort from Democrats to force Spirit Airlines away from any solution that would work,” said Gabe Butzke, a spokesperson for Michigan Forward Network. “Now, people are left with one fewer budget option when it comes to air travel, and Michiganders are again going to have to foot the bill for an out-of-touch, far-left policy.”
