Inside the chaotic morning Spirit workers learned they were out of a job: 'Take your uniform off'

• Spirit Airlines ceased operations on Saturday after 34 years.
• The collapse impacted about 17,000 employees.
• "This broke a lot of people's hearts," one former Spirit Airlines employee said.

Yeneshia Thomas was in her Central Florida home when she got a surprising email at about 12:30 a.m. on Saturday: Spirit Airlines was shutting down.

Thomas, 42, first heard the news from her union, but was still in disbelief. The flight attendant still hoped Spirit Airlines executives would secure a $500 million federal bailout.

"We were all like, 'Nah. Until the company emails us, we don't believe it,'" Thomas said, referring to her and her colleagues.

The bailout negotiations fell apart, and Spirit Airlines announced at 3 a.m. that it would cease operations "effective immediately." It then canceled all its flights.

For Thomas and about 17,000 other employees, it was a gut punch. She had finished her shift hours before the news broke, unaware that it would be her last.

"This broke a lot of people's hearts," she said.

She said some employees were still on the road and had to get back home using other airlines, but that both Spirit and the union have stepped up to help employees navigate the transition.

"It feels like you're in a relationship, and your boyfriend is cheating on you, and everyone is there watching, but you didn't know," Thomas said. "You just heard it on the internet."

Thomas said she received another email on Saturday telling her she was no longer allowed to wear her uniform. She said a colleague who hadn't read the email tried to go through security but was told by a TSA agent to "take your uniform off."

"We're all stunned because we're like, 'What happened?' We were doing good. We were putting out the work. Why didn't anyone say anything?" Thomas said.

Sign of the times

Although employees hadn't gotten official word in advance that Spirit Airlines would shut down over the weekend, Thomas said she saw the signs. Certain routine flights were canceled with little warning on Friday, for example.

Spirit Airlines had navigated turbulent winds in recent years, including two bankruptcies, a failed merger with JetBlue, employee furloughs, layoffs, and pay cuts. The ongoing US and Israeli war on Iran has also sent jet fuel prices skyrocketing, forcing airlines to implement cost-cutting measures.

Thomas was among the Spirit Airlines employees furloughed in December. She returned to her role in March. She also took a pay cut.

"I had hopes that we were going to make it because they called us back," Thomas said.

Despite how it ended, Thomas said she enjoyed her time at Spirit Airlines.

"At the end of the day, we had a big job," Thomas said. "Getting everyone from point A to point B was our biggest goal, which we did in a safe manner and as comfortably as possible."

Thomas said she found her job fulfilling and enjoyed interacting with people from all walks of life.

"The minute they see the uniform, people come up to me, and they say, 'I love Spirit Airlines. I take it all the time and see my grandchildren,'" Thomas said. "That made me feel so good."

She's also built ties with her coworkers as she traveled across the country.

"It's like a big family because you might end up on an airplane with someone that you've never met in your life, but before you leave, you know their whole life," Thomas said.

She said travelers will likely miss the budget-friendly option Spirit offered, especially amid rising ticket prices.

"They're feeling it now," Thomas said. "Someone just messaged me and she said, 'What am I going to do? Now I have to buy a $700 ticket.'"