Just days after Spirit Airlines shut down operations, a viral campaign proposed that ordinary people could come together to help buy and restart the airline through crowdfunding. The idea, called “Let’s Buy Spirit,” spread across social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram. The campaign came from Los Angeles-based voice actor, digital creator, and aviation content creator Hunter Peterson.
The campaign website reportedly faced heavy traffic and crashed multiple times after thousands of people visited to show interest. Before pledges were paused, the platform showed more than 247,000 “founding patrons” and over $214 million in pledged support. The average pledge stood at around $865, reported The Economic Times.
How did the idea start?
Peterson said he came up with the idea after Spirit Airlines announced it would shut down on May 2. The airline had already struggled for years, failed merger attempts, and mounting financial pressure. He posted online that if a small contribution came from a large number of Americans, the airline could be bought and restarted.
“If a fifth of Americans each pitched in $45, we could buy Spirit Airlines,” Peterson said. He also suggested running the airline in a public ownership model similar to the Green Bay Packers, a US football team owned by its fans.
His idea quickly moved from a social media post to a viral movement. According to his website, more than 370,000 verified supporters have now pledged around $337 million. Peterson said no money is being collected yet, but the interest continues to grow.
Can a crowdfunding plan really buy an airline?
Experts, however, remain skeptical about the idea. Aviation and finance specialists said the plan faces major legal and financial challenges, reported NBC.
Charles Elson, a retired finance professor, told NBC that airlines are complex businesses involving many stakeholders, including lenders, aircraft lessors, regulators, and unions. “An airline is a very complicated financial enterprise,” Elson said.
“You’ve got lenders, planes, leases, and union contracts. It’s a nice idea, but I would be shocked if it ever became a reality. I think it’s like going to Mars,” he added.
Legal experts said that public crowdfunding has strict limits under securities law. Columbia University professor John Coffee Jr. told NBC that raising large-scale funds from the public for such a deal faces serious regulatory barriers. He said standard crowdfunding rules cap fundraising at levels far below what is needed to buy an airline.
He added that private fundraising routes exclude most everyday investors. “This is not a simple, clean offering,” Coffee said. “You are dealing with a very risky company that has essentially failed.”
Spirit Airlines had already filed for bankruptcy twice, in 2024 and 2025, and had accumulated around $8.1 billion in debt by August 2025, reported NBC. Rising fuel costs and industry pressure added to its financial stress.
Despite this, the online campaign continued to grow in popularity. Some supporters said they joined not just for investment but to be part of a unique idea.
“I pledged. Why not?” said Abigail Hartman, a radiologic technologist from Indiana. “I just want to be part of something from the start,” he said.
What does future of ‘Spirit 2.0’ look like?
Peterson said the group has received interest from aviation investment firms and potential backers. He also said a legal fund now supports the effort to prepare a formal bid.
He added that discussions continue with high-net-worth investors who may help move the plan forward. However, he admitted the outcome remains uncertain. “There’s no guarantee that any of this is going to work,” Peterson said.
“We’re giving it our very best shot,” he added. He also said the group had support from Spirit Airlines’ flight attendants’ union. According to his plan, if the purchase succeeds, members of the public would have a role in shaping the airline’s future decisions.
Who is Hunter Peterson?
Hunter Peterson is a voice actor and online creator based in Los Angeles. He also makes aviation and travel videos that got him a large following on the internet, especially for funny airline-related content. He works as a professional voice actor and narrator for ads and media. He offers quick voice-over services for companies and brands.
His website says he has done work for big companies like Google, Nike, Microsoft, Boeing, Nissan, and Hyundai. He also won a Silver Telly Award in 2024.