TikTok Creator Raises Nearly $23M in Non-Binding Pledges to Buy Spirit Airlines
After budget airline Spirit Airlines shut down over the weekend, voice actor Hunter Peterson posted a TikTok proposing a crowdfunding campaign to buy the airline as a community-owned venture. His initial video garnered nearly three million views, and within hours he launched letsbuyspirit.com. By Sunday, the site claimed over 36,000 pledges totaling approximately $22.8 million, though these are non-binding expressions of interest, not actual money collected. The campaign models itself after publicly owned entities like the Green Bay Packers. However, aviation experts note that acquiring and operating an airline requires billions in capital, FAA certification taking years and tens of millions in additional costs, plus creditor and regulatory approval. Peterson emphasized he does not want to personally own the airline and is seeking aviation professionals to advise the effort. The website crashed due to overwhelming traffic and remains in rebuilding stages.
Key facts
- Hunter Peterson, a voice actor, launched the crowdfunding campaign after his TikTok video received 2.8 million views as of Sunday afternoon
- The campaign attracted over 36,000 pledges totaling approximately $22.8 million by Sunday, though these are non-binding
- Recent figures suggest the total has grown to nearly $88 million from approximately 125,000 people as of May 4
- Acquiring Spirit Airlines would require approximately $1.75 billion according to the campaign website
- A new airline operator must obtain FAA Air Operator's Certificate, a process taking years and tens of millions in additional costs
- Spirit Airlines ceased operations on May 2 after failing to secure government funding, laying off 17,000 employees
- The website crashed on Sunday due to traffic overload and requires infrastructure upgrades
How different outlets framed it
Left-leaning coverage: Some left-leaning sources frame the campaign as an anti-corporate alternative to private equity ownership, with progressive framing around collective ownership and democratizing industries traditionally dominated by institutional investors. The campaign's messaging explicitly contrasts public ownership with private equity firms, reflecting populist and anti-consolidation sentiment.
Limits of this briefing
All pledge figures are self-reported by Peterson and unverified by independent sources. The campaign remains in extremely early stages with no actual funds collected and significant regulatory and financial barriers to completion. Most aviation analysts consider success highly unlikely given the massive capital and operational requirements.
Sources
- Yahoo Finance / Yahoo News: A TikTok creator's plan to crowdfund Spirit Airlines hit nearly $23 million in pledges before the site crashed Centre
- TechCrunch: We'll take it: A TikToker rallies pledges to buy Spirit Airlines after its abrupt weekend collapse Centre
- Boing Boing: Influencer hopes to crowdfund $1.75bn to buy collapsed Spirit Airlines Left
- Simple Flying: The People's Carrier: Movement To Restart Spirit Airlines Reaches $22 Million In Pledges Centre
- NBC Miami: TikToker launches crowdfunding campaign to buy Spirit Airlines Centre