But looking ahead, poor consumer sentiment and safety concerns could weigh on bookings.

Because of backlogs at Boeing and Airbus — and the older fleets airlines are flying as a result — the sky could be the limit for the new company.

More profitable flying, too.

Spirit Airlines is in good company. While some airlines have recovered, others have shuttered or merged with other carriers.

In May, the FAA said it was short 3,000 controllers. One factor in that: all air traffic controllers have to train at a single FAA academy in Oklahoma City.

Higher-income travelers have splashed out, but people with lower incomes have reined in spending because of rising prices.

The airline’s had a bumpy ride since multitudes of passengers were stranded by bad weather and an aged computer system.

In half a century we’ve gone from piano bars and bone china to cramped seats and $20 sandwiches.

“I’m so tired of those damn things,” one airline crew member told us.

Many travelers still prioritize the cost of travel over which airplane they will fly in.