US budget carrier Spirit Airlines has filed for bankruptcy protection after a long run of financial losses and a series of failed merger attempts.

From BBC Travel, On Monday, the Florida-based airline said it had arranged an agreement to restructure its debt and raise money during a bankruptcy process that is expected to last until early 2025.

During that time, Spirit's operations will continue as normal and passengers will be unaffected, it said.

Spirit, which has not recorded a full-year profit since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, is the first US airline to file for bankruptcy in more than a decade. American Airlines declared bankruptcy in 2011 to cut labour costs during a period of high fuel prices.