It Wasn't the Fees: Who Was Behind Spirit Airlines' Collapse?

It Wasn't the Fees: Who Was Behind Spirit Airlines' Collapse?

You’ve probably read the headlines by now - “Spirit Airlines failed because customers finally got tired of paying for every bag and seat” or “The fee model had finally collapsed under its own weight”…And yes, there’s a piece of truth in it. But the operational story, the one that actually failed Spirit Airlines, sits a layer below: in the unit economics of an ultra-low-cost carrier (ULCC) - a model that strips the fare down to the bone and charges for everything that used to come included & In what happens to that model when a business optimizes every variable to the edge and leaves itself nothing to absorb the next shock. It’s also a story about capital structure, about the moment a company looks at its own balance sheet and realizes that the people it owes money to - its senior bondholders, the creditors with the strongest claim on whatever's left - no longer have interests that line up with yours. And why not even a federal rescue package could help that situation. Let us see what happened with Spirit Airlines :)Table of Contents: 0:00 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZZZVjbiZjo] - What is going on with Spirit Airlines? 00:17 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZZZVjbiZjo&t=17s] - Why headlines are misleading 01:06 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZZZVjbiZjo&t=66s] - In this episode: How Spirit made money, What’s wrong with Spirit´s business model, How key stakeholders interests affected the case & Efficiency tradeoffs 01:49 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZZZVjbiZjo&t=109s] - Welcome back to #AppliedStuff [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/appliedstuff] 02:07 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZZZVjbiZjo&t=127s] - How Spirit Airlines actually made money and Why the "ultra-low-cost" label is a little misleading 02:40 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZZZVjbiZjo&t=160s] - The fare was bait? (UNBUNDLING explained) 03:36 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZZZVjbiZjo&t=216s] - What Spirit's operating identity looked like (unit cost, cabin & fleet choices, high load factors, hub-and-spoke network?) 05:35 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZZZVjbiZjo&t=335s] - What Spirit Airlines bet on 06:02 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZZZVjbiZjo&t=362s] - Why optimization can be a risk 07:08 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZZZVjbiZjo&t=428s] - The customer trap & pricing power defense 07:49 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZZZVjbiZjo&t=469s] - Why fee fatigue didn't actually kill Spirit 08:22 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZZZVjbiZjo&t=502s] - A bit of context 08:30 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZZZVjbiZjo&t=510s] - 2022: the Spirit-Frontier merger collapses 08:38 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZZZVjbiZjo&t=518s] - The JetBlue pivot: a $3.8B deal 08:54 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZZZVjbiZjo&t=534s] - January 2024: a federal judge blocks Spirit´s deal with JetBlue on antitrust grounds 09:08 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZZZVjbiZjo&t=548s] - July 2023: Pratt & Whitney discloses the A320neo engine defect 09:35 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZZZVjbiZjo&t=575s] - By 2025: average Spirit aircraft utilization drops from ~11 to 8 hours a day 10:02 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZZZVjbiZjo&t=602s] - November 2024: Spirit files Chapter 11 for the first time 10:09 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZZZVjbiZjo&t=609s] - March 2025: emerges — and is back in bankruptcy five months later 10:17 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZZZVjbiZjo&t=617s] - March 2026: a new restructuring plan (a bet that prices would come down) 10:39 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZZZVjbiZjo&t=639s] - Late April 2026: the plan collapses 11:05 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZZZVjbiZjo&t=665s] - The thing I want to be careful about 11:49 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZZZVjbiZjo&t=709s] - The federal ~ $500M rescue? 12:10 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZZZVjbiZjo&t=730s] - Who was really in charge of the future of Spirit Airlines 12:45 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZZZVjbiZjo&t=765s] - Why priority matters in this case 12:56 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZZZVjbiZjo&t=776s] - What happens when a company like Spirit gets in trouble (capital stack, senior debt, equity, queue for getting paid back if things break) 13:40 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZZZVjbiZjo&t=820s] - What federal financing has to do with all that? 14:06 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZZZVjbiZjo&t=846s] - Creditors´ perspective 14:51 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZZZVjbiZjo&t=891s] - Bondholders vs. Federal Rescue 15:26 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZZZVjbiZjo&t=926s] - BOTTOMLINE 16:21 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZZZVjbiZjo&t=981s] - Important caveats 17:25 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZZZVjbiZjo&t=1045s]- Fuel hedging explained 17:55 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZZZVjbiZjo&t=1075s] - Lucky streak ≠ healthy business model 19:05 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZZZVjbiZjo&t=1145s] - 2 possible takeaways from Spirit case 19:09 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZZZVjbiZjo&t=1149s] - Takeaway 1 19:27 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZZZVjbiZjo&t=1167s] - Takeaway 2 19:59 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZZZVjbiZjo&t=1199s] - Closing 20:32 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZZZVjbiZjo&t=1232s] - Disclaimer #AppliedStuff [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/appliedstuff] Where ideas meet practical application. ————P.S.If you'd like to support this channel, please rate it on YouTube, Spotify, Amazon Music or Apple Podcasts. You'll also find my social media at the very bottom of the description or in the channel bio if you'd like to connect. Your support truly means a lot to me, thank you! =)🔔 Subscribe to #AppliedStuff [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/appliedstuff] for deep dives into strategy, operating mechanics & real-world business thinking.FOLLOW ME LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/liliya-yakhneva-5a693220b FOLLOW #APPLIED [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/applied]STUFF Linkedin ENG: https://www.linkedin.com/company/applied-stuff-official-page-in-english/

Your Sales Problem Often Isn't a Sales Problem

Your revenue is down and everyone's saying "we need more leads." When revenue is falling, the natural instinct is to push harder on sales...but what if the problem lies in operations?Content Breakdown:0:01 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-l39xE6T3O8&t=1s] - The Operations Problem disguised as a Sales Problem 0:18 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-l39xE6T3O8&t=18s] - In this episode 0:50 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-l39xE6T3O8&t=50s] - Welcome to #AppliedStuff [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/appliedstuff] 1:18 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-l39xE6T3O8&t=78s] - WHY revenue drops get blamed on sales by default 2:04 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-l39xE6T3O8&t=124s] - Example: Industrial Equipment Company losing revenue with a healthy pipeline 3:06 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-l39xE6T3O8&t=186s] - The Organizational Trap: why it's easier to blame sales 3:33 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-l39xE6T3O8&t=213s] - The 3 places where operations hides behind sales 3:40 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-l39xE6T3O8&t=220s] - Fulfillment / Delivery & Service 4:04 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-l39xE6T3O8&t=244s] - In simple terms (Fulfillment / Delivery & Service) 4:21 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-l39xE6T3O8&t=261s] - E-commerce example: when delivery and returns destroy repeat purchases 5:37 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-l39xE6T3O8&t=337s] - Capacity / Workload Constraints 5:50 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-l39xE6T3O8&t=350s] - In simple words (Capacity / Workload Constraints) 6:14 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-l39xE6T3O8&t=374s] - Kitchen example: 100 Hungry Clients 6:53 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-l39xE6T3O8&t=413s] - Operating Costs that Make Selling more Unprofitable 7:29 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-l39xE6T3O8&t=449s] - The $50 Product Example: how a 15% discount can erase your margin 8:10 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-l39xE6T3O8&t=490s] - Why Promotions Aren't always Bad - but you need the full economics 8:37 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-l39xE6T3O8&t=517s] - The Reverse-Diagnosis Method: working backwards to find the real bottleneck 9:03 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-l39xE6T3O8&t=543s] - Step 1: check Confirmed Orders & Bookings 9:22 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-l39xE6T3O8&t=562s] - Step 2: check Fulfillment & Retention 10:08 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-l39xE6T3O8&t=608s] - Step 3: check Capacity & Workload 10:33 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-l39xE6T3O8&t=633s] - Step 4: check Cash Conversion 10:53 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-l39xE6T3O8&t=653s] - Step 5: the Sales Process 11:40 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-l39xE6T3O8&t=700s] - The Most Expensive Mistake in Business is not a bad quarter - it's... 12:24 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-l39xE6T3O8&t=744s] - Important Caveats: when this framework does and doesn't apply 14:05 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-l39xE6T3O8&t=845s] - Bottomline 15:12 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-l39xE6T3O8&t=912s] - Disclaimer #AppliedStuff [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/appliedstuff]Where ideas meet practical application.———— P.S. If you'd like to support this channel, please rate it on YouTube, Spotify, Amazon Music or Apple Podcasts. You'll also find my social media at the very bottom of the description or in the channel bio if you'd like to connect. Your support truly means a lot to me, thank you! =) 🔔 Subscribe to #AppliedStuff [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/appliedstuff] for deep dives into strategy, operating mechanics & real-world business thinking.DisclaimerThe content presented on this channel is provided strictly for discussion purposes. Nothing presented should be interpreted as legal, financial, economic, or any professional advice. By consuming this content, you acknowledge that you remain fully responsible for your own decisions. I disclaim any liability for outcomes resulting from the use or interpretation of the information presented. The information may contain errors or omissions and is provided without warranty of accuracy or completeness.FOLLOW ME LinkedIn:   / liliya-yakhneva-5a693220b   [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbC1taThGTDA3dUFHNUZZT1FYRGJBSUxjLV8wQXxBQ3Jtc0tuWUNxNFVsb1cwdjRYSUtnQVdNVXZoSy1hNlg3aUhNNW5CSGZYYm1CelJVSTByWXJmcF8yTmduRmVLUE1FRmdSd1VkUWNKU290SlhoNkd5UEt6eWxSZU5SMDlYcHQyNUl2dElCT0lPMnoxREVuUmpUOA&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fin%2Fliliya-yakhneva-5a693220b&v=-l39xE6T3O8] FOLLOW #APPLIED [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/applied] STUFFLinkedin ENG:   / applied-stuff-official-page-in-english   [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbmg4bjhVeGo1NUNySnRWUTUtTFB0OUpxZjRBQXxBQ3Jtc0tsMEJJd19qX3R2WW1idTZ0U1h5azBMR0RiNjAwRWcxSHRzbzg3MUtuXzBXQmp3Z1dMMXJvaDUzWGVoVzlxVFZBaE5wNmhBM0NUSTktZktZTUNCZ3pYcTA0cGtaM3c4SlF0RWxWVTc4WVdSQmtmVzBFaw&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fcompany%2Fapplied-stuff-official-page-in-english%2F&v=-l39xE6T3O8]Spotify ENG: https://open.spotify.com/show/6fPbay1... [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbFVqb193WHJNUVdmTHpqWGVEN2hNUG5mNm1sUXxBQ3Jtc0tuNG5hY25EdVBuSExzdGhtVVUyeFl2QlV2cDkyT1dHcXhNVVVCc2Izd0FHcmNSTGd3a0pLOTlUY2JpUjFGVktXaU5yR1dGcWV1Qm91ek9EcHpWQUl3STdXVFl3dWdCZ3ozaEFZemFlb1ZJWUY2X1dBbw&q=https%3A%2F%2Fopen.spotify.com%2Fshow%2F6fPbay1kG1cPqH13qTrIas&v=-l39xE6T3O8]

The Hidden Cost of Flexibility in Business | Game Theory for Entrepreneurs

Is «flexibility» really leverage or is it weakening your business position? The assumption is simple: the more options you have, the more leverage you hold…But is it always true? Not exactly. There is a hidden cost to being flexible. If your counterpart believes you can change your mind, they assume that eventually, you will. And if they believe that, they will put you to the test. They will push for better terms, ask for discounts, delay payments, or demand scope changes, and trust me, they will test your boundaries simply because they know you have the «flexibility» to move. In this episode of #AppliedStuff [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/appliedstuff], I break down the real operating mechanics behind Strategic Commitment - a game theory concept from "The Art of Strategy" by Avinash Dixit and Barry Nalebuff.Using the famous “Game of Chicken” case, we explore what happens when a business voluntarily restricts its own options & Why that can completely change how the market treats you.We cover: • Why excessive optionality can weaken your credibility • How suppliers price volatility into your contracts • “Take-or-Pay” agreements • Why large capital investments change competitor behavior • Why standardization is also a form of commitment • And why every commitment is ultimately a risk-transfer decision#AppliedStuff [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/appliedstuff]Where ideas meet practical application.————P.S.If you’d like to support this channel, please rate it on YouTube, Spotify, Amazon Music or Apple Podcasts. You’ll also find my social media at the very bottom of the description or in the channel bio if you’d like to connect. Your support truly means a lot to me, thank you! =)🔔 Subscribe to #AppliedStuff [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/appliedstuff] for deep dives into strategy, operating mechanics & real-world business thinking.DisclaimerThe content presented on this channel is provided strictly for discussion purposes. Nothing presented should be interpreted as legal, financial, economic, or any professional advice. By consuming this content, you acknowledge that you remain fully responsible for your own decisions. I disclaim any liability for outcomes resulting from the use or interpretation of the information presented. The information may contain errors or omissions and is provided without warranty of accuracy or completeness.

Why Walmart´s Trillion-Dollar Valuation Makes No Economic Sense

Everyone saw the headline: Walmart reached a trillion-dollar valuation. Most people stop there…but that is exactly where the interesting part begins! In this episode of #AppliedStuff, I open the operational side of the Walmart story & explain why this case is so unusual from an economic point of view. Traditional retail usually does not get rewarded like this by the market, so what changed? This episode explores the deeper mechanics behind the result, and why the answer matters far beyond Walmart itself. If you like sharp business analysis, operating breakdowns, and applied stuff, you are in the right place. 🔔 Subscribe or Follow the show, and if you want to support the channel, please rate and review it on Spotify, YouTube, Amazon Music or Apple Podcasts. Your support really means a lot to me =) #Applied Stuff Where ideas meet practical application. 📌FOLLOW ME LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/liliya-yakhneva-5a693220b  📌FOLLOW #APPLIED STUFF Linkedin ESP: https://www.linkedin.com/company/applied-stuff/  Spotify ESP: https://open.spotify.com/show/4438SBGNpEbknB7bRofhuC Linkedin ENG: https://www.linkedin.com/company/applied-stuff-official-page-in-english/ Spotify ENG: https://open.spotify.com/show/6fPbay1kG1cPqH13qTrIas Disclaimer  This content reflects my personal reflections and is provided for general informational purposes only. It does not constitute financial, economic, legal, or other professional advice of any kind. The information may contain errors or omissions and is provided without warranty of accuracy or completeness. Listeners should seek qualified professional advice before acting on any idea discussed here. I disclaim any liability for the use or misuse of this content. By interacting with this channel, you acknowledge that you are solely responsible for your own choices and outcomes.  References to books, articles, and research remain the property of their respective authors and appear under EU fair use principles for commentary and review.

Is It Really the End? What Mateo Valero, Jordi Torres & I Share About AI

You may have thought this was a tech channel. It’s not. What you’ve been watching over the past episodes has never been random videos on AI - they were a short, public, and practical course for anyone (especially non-tech people) who wants to stop overthinking & start using ChatGPT. The advantage gap is already real, so here is your access - your head start. :)Now the question is: Is this the end? - Not at all! #AppliedStuff [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/appliedstuff] moves where it always intended to go - business, cases and strategy. AI, in my case, is not the destination. It’s part of the foundation we now need.And yes - that’s us sitting with Mateo Valero in the thumbnail. He is the director of the Barcelona Supercomputing Center, and this photo is there for a reason. In this episode, we zoom out. We connect the dots. We look at what AI really is, how it evolved, and what it means for you.Let’s begin!▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰Welcome to #AppliedStuff [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/appliedstuff]!My name is Liliya Yakhneva, and this is the place where ideas meet practical application 🙂▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰Content Breakdown00:07 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o43zbG69tm4&t=7s] - The thumbnail 00:10 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o43zbG69tm4&t=10s] - Mateo Valero? 00:43 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o43zbG69tm4&t=43s] - What to Expect 01:15 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o43zbG69tm4&t=75s] - Intro 01:27 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o43zbG69tm4&t=87s] - Why this episode exists 02:06 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o43zbG69tm4&t=126s] - Why ChatGPT 02:59 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o43zbG69tm4&t=179s] - The End? 03:45 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o43zbG69tm4&t=225s] - The Thumbnail Explained ;) 04:18 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o43zbG69tm4&t=258s] - Why AI hype disappoints 05:31 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o43zbG69tm4&t=331s] - AI You Use Every Day vs Supercomputers 06:08 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o43zbG69tm4&t=368s] - Jordi Torres & His book: "AI Explained to Humans" 07:09 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o43zbG69tm4&t=429s] - How AI Evolution Affects You Personally 07:45 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o43zbG69tm4&t=465s] - Rule-based AI 08:10 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o43zbG69tm4&t=490s] - Data-based AI 08:48 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o43zbG69tm4&t=528s] - Experience-based AI 09:37 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o43zbG69tm4&t=577s] - Optimization ≠ Understanding 10:20 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o43zbG69tm4&t=620s] - Compute-based AI 10:31 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o43zbG69tm4&t=631s] - The problem? 13:27 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o43zbG69tm4&t=807s] - Human Preference Modeling 14:32 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o43zbG69tm4&t=872s] - Alignment and hidden trade-offs 15:45 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o43zbG69tm4&t=945s] - The Grok case 17:03 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o43zbG69tm4&t=1023s] - Safety & privacy 18:54 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o43zbG69tm4&t=1134s] - What changes with AI… 19:08 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o43zbG69tm4&t=1148s] - How to get more out of this ChatGPT course 20:06 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o43zbG69tm4&t=1206s] - Disclaimer 20:47 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o43zbG69tm4&t=1247s] - To be continued ▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰LinkedIn ENG: @/applied-stuff-official-page-in-english/ LinkedIn ESP: @/applied-stuff/ Spotify ENG: https://open.spotify.com/show/6fPbay1... [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbGZtT3l3REVkRjdGeXNld3FiNWZDSG54dkdkQXxBQ3Jtc0tsUmFGNFJNX0F3c3FrWHlTd0pEdF9sb256VG9kdV9kYTMzdUxYcGtCMnZHbXNpYzJYb3Fna1NYbjhxSTFSU2ZsbHFxbWNibzVtUHoxSXllQzdQTzZTUkhGWmVlSkJiMWxiVnhYY3NSYU1IcERWQUVlZw&q=https%3A%2F%2Fopen.spotify.com%2Fshow%2F6fPbay1kG1cPqH13qTrIas%3Fsi%3DY-Q6-P6BQvqNbr12AO2ZBw&v=o43zbG69tm4]Spotify ESP: https://open.spotify.com/show/4438SBG... [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbUpGVDJqN0lNbTZTSUU0U0x6OGlKREk4S3REQXxBQ3Jtc0tueXhRY0l3RExDTnJSLUJFQi15T19xQTZfYzFIQjJoRGE5bzl4cXE3N3d4bVhrSmk1TExValpjS0xUaXdPVmRBWWZkVkNpNWN5YUpwLVdlSnVQT29KYk1FczBTQ2xDcFVfOFBGX25ERmE5QXR1S1Rpdw&q=https%3A%2F%2Fopen.spotify.com%2Fshow%2F4438SBGNpEbknB7bRofhuC%3Fsi%3D92adf0dbbdd349b7&v=o43zbG69tm4]🔔Subscribe to follow the next chapter of Applied Stuff :)See you in the next one!