Spirit Airlines files for bankruptcy as financial losses pile up and debt looms

(AP) – Spirit Airlines said Monday that it has filed for bankruptcy protection and will attempt to reboot as it struggles to recover from the pandemic-caused swoon in travel, sti•er competition from bigger carriers, and a failed attempt to sell the airline to JetBlue.

Spirit, biggest U.S. budget airline, filed a Chapter 11 bankruptcy petition after working out terms with bondholders. The airline ha…