Spirit Airlines Foam Incident In Detroit Will Cost It Dearly

Spirit Airlines maintenance hanger in Detroit suffered a massive foam release which will cost the beleaguered airline millions.

Safety Foam Release

A fire suppressant foam was released in a Spirit Airlines maintenance hanger at Detroit Metro Airport (Wayne County) on July 4th, 2025 following a lightning strike – not the fireworks the airline needed.

According to a statement from Spirit, the foam release was inadvertent without any fire danger to the equipment or staff. Maintenance facilities have these fire suppressants in place to quickly extinguish any fires before more serious danger is posed to people or equipment much like a sprinkler system in an office building. The 126,000 sq ft facility was opened in 2017 as the maintenance headquarters for the Dania Beach (Fort Lauderdale) based ultra low cost carrier.

At the time of the incident, an Airbus A321 and an A320 aircraft were inside with four A320-family aircraft on the ramp, three of which were affected.

Massive foam incident in Spirit’s hangar at Detroit Metro Airport https://t.co/GUKdHXEluw

— AIRLIVE (@airlivenet) July 5, 2025

Corrosive, Will Sideline Aircraft

This event is one in which the airline could ill-afford. The leisure-focused ULCC is in the swing of the busy summer season and is trying to climb away from its now closed bankruptcy. Like all Airbus operators, engine issues have plagued the fleet as well, and these five aircraft will now have to be removed from service in addition to the maintenance they were in Detroit to receive.

“The foam, while designed to extinguish fires, poses significant risks to aircraft. Its chemical composition is often highly corrosive, potentially damaging critical systems including engines, electrical bays, and cabin interiors.” – Airlive

The airline operates an all Airbus fleet of 195 aircraft of which (5) are now sidelined for an undetermined period of time. It’s unlikely the aircraft will suffer any long term damage, but cleanup, testing, and verification by authorities that the equipment is air worthy will take some time. Spirit has not made any statements with regard to timeline of the process nor cancellations that may ensue.

The company has 52 additional Airbus A320 & A321 NEOs on order.

Lightning may or may not fall under an “act of God” and thus, might not be covered by insurance. While I am not an insurance adjustor and have no knowledge of their policy, it seems unlikely the event will be an allowable claim leaving Spirit to cover the bill.

Conclusion

There’s never a good time for an inadvertent release of fire suppressant foam in an aircraft maintenance facility, but this timing is particularly bad. With aircraft delays continuing from Airbus (and engine manufacturers), during the busiest season of the year, and for an airline that has an already tenuous financial situation, this is a significant event. The airline’s fleet will be constrained and costs associated with cleanup, testing, and evaluation, plus the initial maintenance will further complicate matters this summer for Spirit.