The demise of Spirit Airlines reveals critical gaps in America's affordable transportation

In an article for Streetsblog USA, Kai Boysan argues that the failure of Spirit Airlines "exposed a deeper weakness in America’s transportation system: tens of millions of people rely on affordable travel, and we still don’t provide enough of it."

According to Boysan, the United States has not built a system that reliably supports affordable transportation. "Affordable travel is still too often treated as a compromise, rather than a core part of broader mobility."

To keep transportation affordable and equitable, Boysan argues that governments must treat all types of mobility as part of an integrated system, paying attention to intermodal connections and freedom of choice. "Ground transportation is one of the most scalable ways to close that gap. Intercity buses already connect communities airlines have left behind, linking small towns to major cities year-round at prices that remain accessible even as airfares rise." 

Boysan reminds the reader that for many Americans, access to transportation is not just about recreation — "When lower-cost options disappear, participation in work, education, and family life becomes harder to sustain."