FAA Proposes $95,000 Fine Against Spirit Airlines, Inc.

CHICAGO, IL (July 26, 2001) The Federal Aviation Administration
has proposed to assess a civil penalty of $95,000 against Spirit
Airlines, Inc., Detroit, Michigan, for allegedly operating one of its
MD-80 aircraft without conducting a required daily inspection of an
instrument used in flight.

The FAA alleges that Spirit violated federal aviation regulations by
failing to inspect a stall probe heater for proper operation after it
was found that the stall heater indicator was inoperative.

Spirit operated the aircraft on approximately 40 revenue flights
without the inspection.

The stall probe heater is installed to ensure the stall probe is not
held in place by ice. The stall probe's function is to give the crew
a warning if the wing is about to "stall," or lose lift.

Spirit's maintenance procedures allow the indicator to be
inoperative for 10 days provided that the stall heater itself is
checked on a daily basis for proper operation (warm to the touch)
and an entry is made in the aircraft's maintenance records that
the procedure has been performed.

Spirit has 30 days from the time it receives the FAA's civil
penalty letter to respond.

The announcement of the civil penalty proposal is in accordance
with FAA's policy of releasing information to the public on newly
issued enforcement actions in cases that involve penalties of
$50,000 or more.