When Spirit Airlines unexpectedly shut down this past weekend, grounding all flights and leaving thousands stranded, one TikToker saw an opportunity. Hunter Peterson, a voice actor with a knack for humor, proposed a wild idea: what if regular folks bought the airline? His TikTok pitch went viral, suggesting that if just 20% of American adults chipped in, they could launch ‘Spirit 2.0: Owned by the People.’
In a whirlwind of activity, Peterson set up a website, albeit a hastily put-together one, to rally support. By Sunday, it had attracted 36,000 ‘founding patrons’ pledging nearly $23 million—crashing the site in the process. Of course, these are non-binding pledges, but the enthusiasm is real. It’s important to note that buying and relaunching an airline costs billions, not millions, something Peterson is well aware of.
In a follow-up video, Peterson called on aviation experts, PR pros, and lawyers to join his cause, acknowledging, ‘I know what I don’t know, but you’re committing to this bit, so I’m committing to this bit.’ For more on unexpected tech and community-driven efforts, check out TikTok’s Campus Hub or how YouTube PiP is now available for everyone.
Keep an eye on this story to see if this quirky idea takes off or crashes like the airline itself. Meanwhile, stay tuned for other community-driven tech ventures!
Photo by greenwish _ on Pexels
