A 40-year-old Spirit Airlines pilot named Dominic A. Cipolla was arrested on July 17 after being accused of stalking two minors. The disturbing charges led to his immediate removal from duty. Cipolla was on his shift at Louis Armstrong New Orleans Airport, when he was handcuffed before being transferred to the Johnson County Jail in Kansas on August 2, as confirmed by The Guardian.
He is currently out on a $12,500 bond and is scheduled to appear in court for the first time this coming Tuesday at the time of writing. While charges remain undisclosed in detail, official records indicate the alleged victims are ages 12 and 17. Popular airline Spirit spoke to The US Sun and added that the incident “was unrelated to the performance of [Cipolla’s] job duties.”
“The pilot was removed from duty pending our investigation into the matter, and we arrange for another pilot to operate the flight,” the statement read. Dominic served in the US military before he began working at Spirit Airlines in 2022. Before that, he flew for Envoy Air, a Texas-based regional carrier, as per Kansas law, stalking falls under level 7 felony.
After the abrupt arrest, attorney Brandan Davies stated on behalf of Cipolla, calling him “a two-time combat veteran with not so much as a speeding ticket on his record.” ( via The Guardian).
“Mr Cipolla denies the allegations against him and asks that the media allow the court process to take place,” Davies’s statement said. Meanwhile, stalking is a serious offence in Kansas, and aside from strict protection orders, like most other states, Kansas considers stalking to be a “serious course of conduct,” and imposes penalties based on intent and prior offences, ranging from a first offence to more severe levels.
Stalking does not only mean online or via the internet, but also various instances, such as harming someone’s pet, placing items on the victim’s property, damaging property, and, most dangerously, barging into their home, workplace, or other place of interest.
Dominic A. Cipolla’s arrest came at a time when the airline made headlines for bankruptcy. The low-cost airline that has provided service since 1983, almost reached bankruptcy as it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in November 2024, and has been restructuring operations to reduce losses. ( via Live Now Fox).
Spirit Airlines pilot ‘removed from duty’ after being arrested on stalking charges
Dominic Cipolla was arrested at New Orleans’s international airport on stalking charges out of Kansas, officials say
A Spirit Airlines pilot has been “removed from duty” after being arrested at… pic.twitter.com/LyFWtx2KAE
— Deborah (@Deborah07849071) August 6, 2025
Known for their aesthetic yellow flights, the company also made several cost cuts, including one in 2025. However, as of March 2025, Fox reported that Spirit is out of bankruptcy as it has been backed by $350 million in fresh capital and a commitment to rebrand as a premium low-cost carrier.
🚨BREAKING: Spirit Airlines, known for its cheap flights prices and overpriced baggage fees and other services, is preparing to file for bankruptcy. pic.twitter.com/8USgzG09R4
— R A W S A L E R T S (@rawsalerts) November 13, 2024
With the bankruptcy chapter now closed, Spiritt is now aiming to expand its flights and skillfully create a brand new reputation, thereby providing a smooth and hassle-free flying experience for its esteemed customers.
