A retiring Spirit pilot's last flight was canceled by the budget carrier's sudden closure. See his impromptu celebration.

By Emily Mae Czachor News Editor Emily Mae Czachor is a reporter and news editor at CBSNews.com. She typically covers breaking news, extreme weather and issues involving social justice. Emily Mae previously wrote for outlets like the Los Angeles Times, BuzzFeed and Newsweek. Read Full Bio May 3, 2026 / 3:13 PM EDT / CBS News Add CBS News on Google A former Spirit pilot received an impromptu retirement celebration when the airline's sudden shutdown led to the cancellation of what would have been his final flight. Captain Jon Jackson ended up on a Southwest Airlines flight to return home to Baltimore International Airport. Video captured the warm welcome he received upon arrival — complete with a bottle of champagne and a cheering crowd."This is very overwhelming," Jackson said, after the crowd encouraged him to give a speech. "I can't thank you all enough, As Spirit goes down, this is kind of a sad day, and you guys made it incredible. Thank you so much."Jackson had planned to take his retirement flight on a Spirit aircraft Saturday, marking the end of his career as a pilot for the airline, according to a statement from Southwest. But, when Spirit failed to