DANIA BEACH, Fla. — Derecka Hackett, a mother of three, worked as a ramp agent for Spirit Airlines for more than four years. She said she and her former colleagues need help and are often “forgotten.”
Hackett said she and about 265 hard-working ramp agents were part of the ground crew servicing aircraft, loading or unloading luggage or cargo, and guiding planes at the gate.
“It’s heartbreaking to hear some of these people, what they’re dealing with,” Hackett said. “You know, ‘I’ve got to pay my rent today.’”
Hackett is fundraising and was asking the public to contribute to the “Standing with Spirit Ramp Agents in Need” fund. She said the goal is to make sure every single one of them receives $500.
She said the group includes mothers, fathers, veterans, caregivers, and employees facing serious health concerns. Many of them have been living paycheck to paycheck.
“Health coverage stopped that day,” Hackett said. “Our dental, our vision, our medical. Any benefits that you had stopped immediately.”
Related fundraiser
LOCAL LAYOFFS
With more than $2.5 billion in losses since 2020, the bankruptcy filings followed in 2024 and 2025, and the shutdown was on Saturday after a last-minute $500 million government bailout failed.
“We have 18,000 people that live in this country that are great people and great employees,” President Donald Trump said about Spirit Airlines employees nationwide on April 23 at the White House.
Spirit Airlines filed the layoff notices on Monday with the FloridaCommerce, the state’s lead agency for workforce, and reported laying off more than 4,850 employees in Florida.
That included more than 3,260 layoffs in Broward and Miami-Dade counties. There were 2,529 at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, 551 at the Spirit Support Center in Dania Beach, and 181 at Miami International Airport.
Related document: Notice of layoff (May 2-13)
Helpful link: Spirit Airlines restructuring page
Related stories
- Commissioner: Family Success Centers ready to help ex-Spirit Airlines employees living in Broward
- Spirit Airlines reports over 4,850 job cuts in Florida
- While still wearing Spirit Airlines uniforms, job seekers start asking for help
- Jobless former Spirit Airlines employees march in Dania Beach
- Spirit Airlines asks guests not to go to the airport, or expect rebookings
Upcoming job fairs
Miramar is hosting a job fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on May 20 at the Miramar Cultural Center, at 2400 Civic Center Place. Admission and parking are free. For more information, visit the Evenbrite page.
The Port Everglades Career Fair & Expo is from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on May 27 at the Broward County Convention Center at 1950 Eisenhower Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale. Admission and parking are free. Here is a list of the participating companies >
Resources
- Broward County has four Family Success Centers to help with housing and utilities.
- Department of Labor: Rapid response services includes guidance on COBRA continuation coverage
- American Airlines launches “Supporting Spirit” career page
- United Airlines launches program to prioritize former Spirit Airlines employees when hiring. Here is the career page >
- Southwest Airlines was recruiting on this page.
- JetBlue’s jobs page
- JetBlue announced an extension of the “jumpseat agreement for the next two weeks, subject to space availability and limited to cabin seating” for those who were stranded while working for Spirit Airlines, and also announced “preferential employment interviews.”
- Delta releases statement of help
- For more information about help from the Association of Flight Attendants, call 1-800-385-3920
- CareerSource Broward offers services such as job placement and career coaching at three centers at 4941 Coconut Creek Parkway, 2550 West Oakland Park Boulevard, and 7550 Davie Road Extension in Hollywood.
- Employ Miami-Dade has services for job seekers.
- CareerOneStop has a database for job centers
- To file an unemployment benefits claim in Florida, call 1-800-204-2418 or visit this page.
- Find your local food bank, on this Feeding America page
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