Hour 1 - Not the American Spirit

Summary

---

Podcast Summary

Podcast: The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show
Episode: Hour 1 - Not the American Spirit
Date: May 4, 2026
Theme: The collapse of Spirit Airlines, government intervention in business, market competition, and broader implications for airline passengers and the industry.

---

Episode Overview

In this episode, Clay Travis and Buck Sexton take listeners through the recent collapse of Spirit Airlines, tying its failure to federal government intervention in the Spirit–JetBlue merger. They argue that the Biden administration and prominent Democrats, including Senator Elizabeth Warren and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, blocked a critical merger under the guise of antitrust concerns—ultimately leaving thousands jobless, harming consumers, and ironically strengthening the oligopoly of the top four airlines. The hosts discuss the broader economic implications of government interference in business competition, the miserable current state of air travel, and prospects for future disruption in transportation, welcoming calls from affected individuals.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Collapse of Spirit Airlines & Blame Attribution

• Buck opens with humor about Spirit Airlines flights being canceled "forever," quickly framing the episode around the sudden shutdown (03:00).
• Blame placed on Democrats:
  • Buck: “This is all on them. The body of Spirit Airlines sits at their feet, if you will.” (03:33)
  • Claims Democrats mishandled the potential rescue via merger, contrasting it with business failures where “when people in business screw up, you lose jobs. Here, the government screwed up.” (04:34, Clay)

2. The Failed JetBlue–Spirit Merger

• Clay outlines the situation:
  • Spirit was struggling, JetBlue offered to buy it for $3.8 billion—this would have benefited Spirit employees, shareholders, and increased airline competition (04:34).
  • U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and the Biden DOJ blocked the merger on antitrust grounds, claiming it would reduce competition and raise fares (07:30–09:18).
• Playbacks from 2023:
  • Buttigieg: “It is important to make sure passengers have choices...We are taking a step...supporting the DOJ’s lawsuit...” (07:30)
  • Rep. Burgess Owens (R-UT) challenges the administration’s rationale, calling the argument “absurd.” (09:18, Clay attribution)
• Result:
  • The merger was blocked by a Massachusetts judge siding with the Biden DOJ (09:18).
  • Spirit filed for bankruptcy and collapsed, with assets now to be gobbled up by the largest airlines, reducing competition further (09:18–11:30).

3. Direct Consequences for Individuals and the Market

• Spirit employees and shareholders lose:
  • 15,000+ jobs lost; investors left with nothing (04:34, 09:18–11:30).
  • Clay: “Everybody loses. And I’m pretty pissed off about it, frankly.” (09:18)
• Big Four Airlines profit:
  • Buck: “The big four airlines are going to have even more power because they’re going to get the gates too. They’re going to get the airplanes for pennies on the dollar...” (09:18)

4. Critique of Government Intervention

• Clay’s core thesis:
  • “When you screw up in government, nothing happens...The people who lose are the Spirit Airlines employees and the shareholders...” (11:30–13:28)
  • Highlights the lack of real-world consequences for government officials and judges compared to businesspeople.
• Buck: “When government decides like a big, lumbering blind giant to crush private industry because it’s so dumb and feels like it, that’s particularly annoying.” (12:22)

5. Calls & Real-World Impact

• Listener Rick (23:03):
  • Wife was a Spirit employee with nearly $1 million in stock, wiped out solely due to the failed merger.
  • Rick: “If the merger had gone through, your wife would have gotten as an employee and shareholder, $1 million. Instead, Elizabeth Warren blocked it and she lost all of that.” (23:06 – Clay)
  • Rick also cites engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney’s delays as a contributing—but secondary—factor.
  • Repeats: “The government wrecked the merger, which would have kept both JetBlue and Spirit from having financial problems.” (26:35)

6. Downward Spiral of Air Travel Experience

• Hosts bemoan the worsening flying experience:
  • Smaller seats, more fees, worse service, higher prices (15:31–16:22).
  • Buck: “My airline attendants are more surly than ever, My seat is more uncomfortable than ever, and I’m paying more than ever for basically all of these airlines.” (15:47)
• Fees and ‘calculated misery’:
  • Buck coins the “calculated misery index”—airlines create pain points (baggage fees, seat penalties) to extract more revenue and force people to pay extra just to avoid discomfort (27:40–29:46).

7. Broader Critique: Government in Business

• Clay: “The more government gets involved in business, the worse the business does.” (16:22)
• Discusses parallels with government involvement in healthcare and other industries (16:42–17:10).

8. Structural Issues Facing Airlines

• High fixed costs and barriers to entry make true competition hard.
• Suggestion that only massive capital could produce a new competitor, and the market is now less competitive than ever (17:12–17:26).
• Clay: “If you’re a former or current airline exec or you can explain why...let us know.” (15:47)

9. Future of Travel

• Discusses the possibilities for disruption—autonomous cars, VTOL (vertical take-off landing vehicles), Hyperloops (34:52–38:52).
• Both predict more consumers will choose driving (especially with self-driving tech) to avoid airline misery.
• Clay: “If you told me hey, I can get in, I can punch in an address and I guarantee that I’ll be there in seven hours ... I’d do it.” (37:25)

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Buck: “The body of Spirit Airlines sits at their feet, if you will. This is all on them.” (03:33)
• Clay: “When government screws up, real people suffer. And this is a perfect example of government screwing up.” (04:34)
• Buttigieg soundbite: “It is important to make sure that passengers have choices, that they have access to low fares, that they have access to competition.” (07:30)
• Clay (about DOJ position): “Wrong on everything.” (09:18)
• Elizabeth Warren’s post-merger block tweet: “This is a Biden win for flyers.” (10:39)
  — Buck’s sarcastic response: “She has taken Spirit Airlines and driven it into the side of a mountain. It is no more.” (10:39)
• Clay on government accountability: “They weren’t just wrong, Buck. They were the exact opposite of right.” (11:30)
• Listener Rick: “If the merger had gone through, your wife would have gotten… $1 million. Instead… she lost all of that.” (23:10)
• Buck (on airline misery): “You’re not paying for goodness; you're paying to avoid badness, if you will.” (27:40)

---

Important Timestamps

• 03:00 – Buck jokes about Spirit Airlines’ collapse and previews the main topic
• 04:34 – Clay lays out the JetBlue–Spirit merger and how government intervention led to Spirit’s collapse
• 07:30 – Buttigieg audio on blocking the merger
• 09:18 – Rep. Burgess Owens questions DOJ on competition logic
• 10:39 – Buck reads Elizabeth Warren’s "Biden win" tweet
• 11:30–13:28 – Discussion of consequences for workers, shareholders, and the lack of government accountability
• 15:47 – Buck laments the deteriorating air travel experience
• 23:03–26:35 – Call from Rick, whose wife lost her future due to the failed merger
• 27:40 – Buck discusses the “calculated misery index” of flying
• 34:52–38:52 – Debate over autonomous vehicles, future of travel, and flying vs. driving
• 39:05 – Discussion of checked bag fees and why Clay now prefers to buy clothes anew than check baggage

---

Listener Calls & the Human Angle

• Rick from Vero Beach, FL:

  • His wife, a Spirit employee, had nearly $1 million in stock wiped out after the failed merger.
  • Asserts it was not Spirit’s management, but government interference that destroyed value:
    • “Absolutely. The government wrecked the merger, which would have kept both JetBlue and Spirit from having financial problems.” (26:35)

• Robert from Newport News, VA:

  • Points out, sometimes in capitalism “there’s winners and losers”—but wants to know why JetBlue cannot still compete post-bankruptcy.
  • Clay: the Big Four will buy up assets, but the goal of merger was to give JetBlue the size and financial heft needed to compete. Now even that’s at risk. (31:11–32:08)

---

Tone & Style

• The hosts are conversational but passionate, employing sarcasm (especially Buck), frustration, and humor.
• Clay brings personal anecdotes about frequent flying and business operations.
• They use pointed, illustrative comparisons—government as “a big, lumbering blind giant”; Elizabeth Warren’s “driving Spirit Airlines into the side of a mountain.”
• Candid calls from listeners add authentic, real-world impact.

---

Conclusion

This episode presents a strongly critical look at how government intervention in the private sector—specifically the airline industry—can backfire, resulting in reduced competition, lost jobs, and consumer harm. Through soundbites, real stories, and energetic commentary, Clay and Buck argue that blocking the Spirit–JetBlue merger exemplifies the dangers of overzealous regulatory action and lack of government accountability. The story serves as a launching point for broader discussions on business, economic freedom, and the grim trajectory of air travel for everyday Americans.

---

Transcript

[Buck Sexton]

This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human life is full of challenges, but you don't have to face them alone. At InTouch.org you'll find powerful sermons from Dr. Charles Stanley, Daily devotionals, and resources designed to strengthen your faith and bring hope into your everyday life. Whether you're searching for encouragement, biblical wisdom or practical guidance, InTouch.org is here to help you grow closer to God. Discover truth that speaks to your heart. Visit intouch.org today.

[Sponsor/Advertisement Voice]

Most Mother's Day gifts end up in a drawer, but a song lives in the heart forever. This year, tryjoybox.com is giving away 1 million free custom songs to celebrate 1 million incredible moms. Just share a few memories and Joybox produces an original track and greeting card just for her instantly. It's the most personal gift you'll ever give, and right now it's completely free. Make mom the star of her own [e-mail] 1 million songs $0 only at tryjoybox.

[Buck Sexton]

Pure Talk used to charge 55 for unlimited high speed data, but now it's just 34.99, giving you more for less.

[Clay Travis]

And if you're wondering how Pure Talks Network stacks up to the big guys, try it out for 30 days. No contract, no cancellation fees.

[Buck Sexton]

Make the switch in as little as 10 minutes. And if you ever need help, their U S customer service team is standing by.

[Clay Travis]

Go to PureTalk.com Clay that's PureTalk.com Clay PureTalk America's wireless company.

[Buck Sexton]

After reaching over $5,000 an ounce, gold prices have softened. What does that mean for you? It means this is a buying opportunity. Whether you haven't yet diversified your savings into gold or maybe you just want to buy more, Birch Gold Group can help you. The fundamentals are still out of whack. Surging oil prices keep inflation high, the national debt is still soaring, and central banks are still buying massive quantities of gold. That's why my belief in gold hasn't changed one bit. Educate yourself. Birchgold will send you a free info kit on gold when you text my name. Buck to 9898 98. There's no obligation, only useful information, including how you can own gold in a tax sheltered retirement account with an A rating with the Better Business Bureau and tens of thousands of happy customers. See if buying the dip makes sense for you right now. Text buck to the number 989898 claim your free info kit and diversify your savings with gold. Text Buck to 989898 welcome everybody, Monday edition of the Clay And Buck, show begins right now. Thanks for being here with us. We love hanging out with all of you. A lot of news going on. Sorry if you got stranded because your Spirit Airlines flight was canceled forever. It was not a one time thing. It was all of them canceled. We're going to talk about this in a minute. Democrats, with Spirit Airlines burning down the village in order to save it, as they say, figured you know what the best thing to do would be. We can save Spirit Airlines the Democrat way, which means just kill the whole thing. Just take the scalp. Elizabeth Warren deciding to step in on the warpath and make sure that Spirit Airlines is no more. So the pow wow that she had to try and make things better was a failure. That is not a surprise. She broke the treaty and now Spirit Airlines is no more.

[Clay Travis]

We will talk.

[Buck Sexton]

By the way, if you are a Spirit Airlines employee, we would very much like to hear from you on this matter. And we'll, we'll walk you through this because the Democrats in their usual just mendacity. I'll give that a word of the day. Mendaci. That's a fun one. They, they are saying that this is a Trump thing. It's because of the high gas prices. Yeah. The entire airline collapsed because of a temporary uptick in gas price. Give me a break. This was years in the making and Democrats weighed in on it and they, no surprise, made everything worse. And now the. The body of Spirit Airlines sits at their feet, if you will. This is all on them. So, Mr. Clay, any surprises here at all about how this went down? We got Iran stuff, we got other things to talk about. Huge fraud in Ohio. We'll get to that. But Spirit Airlines, you're a Southwest guy, so at least this doesn't affect your itinerary.

[Clay Travis]

Fired up about this and we've talked about it on the program a bunch of times over the years and I do think this is one where when people in business screw up, you lose jobs and companies go bankrupt. Right here, the government screwed up. And this is where. If you're a Spirit Airlines employee, I would actually like to hear from you. There's 15,000 some odd people who lost their jobs. Buck, here is what happened because I do think this, this data matters and this storyline matters and this narrative matters. And this is when I get really angry. When government screws up, real people suffer. And this is a perfect example of government screwing up. So Spirit Airlines was in peril as a business and they sold the company. They managed to find a company that wanted to buy them JetBlue offered $3.8 billion for Spirit Airlines. So if you owned stock in Spirit Airlines, you were going to be in a great spot. You were going to be in a position where. Where everybody was able to basically get onto a new company, JetBlue. And we were going to be in a position where the four biggest airlines out there actually had competition. So if you fly as I do, I'm on Southwest Airlines everywhere, Buck. If you fly Southwest Airlines out of Nashville, there's almost 100% chance that you're going to see me somewhere. I really like Southwest Airlines, buck. I have 2.5 million Southwest Airlines points. That has to put me in, like, the 0.1% of most frequent Southwest Airlines flyers. I don't even know. I don't even. I wouldn't have to buy a ticket for the rest of my life. I could probably just use my points. But I love Southwest. It's the biggest airline in Nashville. They do a good job of getting me safely all over the place. Yes, it's not fancy. I get it. But that's the reality. All right, then you've got American, then you've got United, you got Delta. They need a fifth competitor to help keep down prices for a lot of different airports across the country. So needing heft, JetBlue said, We're going to buy Spirit Airlines for $3.8 billion. And then I want to play some of these cuts because I think this is so significant. Then Mayor Pete, who was the Transportation Secretary at the time, came out and said, we're going to oppose this merger, the Biden doj, which got everything wrong. Mayor Pete, who was totally unqualified to ever be in a Cabinet and have this job. This is March 7th, 2023. Mayor Pete announcing. Pete Buttigieg announcing Transportation Secretary. We're opposed to this cut, too.

[Buck Sexton]

Our department, the Department of Transportation, has generally not gotten involved in these merger cases, but that's changing today. It is important to make sure that passengers have choices, that they have access to low fares, that they have access to competition. And yet we've seen less and less and less of that competition over the years. We are taking a step that, again, is unusual in terms of recent years, but we think is the right thing to do, supporting the DOJ's lawsuit and independently using our own authorities, which are a little bit different from the doj, starting our own investigation and taking other actions.

[Clay Travis]

All right, I want to play another one. Because what he was doing was echoed by Senator Elizabeth Warren, by so many other Democrats out there saying, oh, this is anti competitive. This is going to make airline fares more expensive. We can't allow this. Here is another flashback. This is September 20, 2023 on why the Biden DOJ was preventing this merger. Cut three.

[Buck Sexton]

You're saying that we have four major carriers that represent 80% of their traffic and adding another one would stop competition.

[Caller/Listener]

By definition, a merger doesn't add a company, it removes.

[Buck Sexton]

By definition, a merger also gives a further four a competition that they don't have presently of 80%. So our role is to make sure that there is more competition, not less. And we will only act to prevent a merger if there is a determination that a merger would harm competition. Okay, so let me ask. So in other words, we have four major airlines represent 80% of the traffic. You saying another competition would be what would not be competition? My point is taking two airlines and turning them into one could mean less competition.

[Clay Travis]

Okay, Buck, wrong on everything. I do want to give credit there. Let me make sure that is Burgess Owens questioning. He is a representative from Utah, Republican congressman really grilling him back in September 2023, pointing out the absurdity of this. So Buck, they sue under antitrust law. A judge in Massachusetts, I believe his last name was Walker, hears all of this, says, I agree with the Biden government. This will be anti competitive. Disallows the merger. Within a few months, Spirit enters Trump bankruptcy for the first time. Now they have entered bankruptcy for the second time. And Buck, do you know what the end result here? I'm not even going to get into the 15,000 lost jobs. All the people out there who are going to have less opportunity to to fly Spirit Airlines because the airline no longer exists. Everybody is going to now buy Spirits assets for pennies on the dollar. And the big four airlines are going to have even more power because they're going to get the gates to. They're going to get the airplanes for pennies on the dollar and the end result is going to be consumers lose. So the government got everything wrong here and everybody loses. And I'm pretty pissed off about it, frankly.

[Buck Sexton]

Well, well, Elizabeth Warren a couple of years ago, she wrote this is on X. I've warned for months that a JetBlue Spirit Airlines merger would have led to fewer flights and higher fares. U.S. department of Transportation was right to stand up for consumers and fight against runaway airline consolidation. This is a Biden win for flyers. That is actual tweet from. That is an actual tweet from Elizabeth Warren. She has taken Spirit Airlines and driven into the side of a mountain. It is no more. It is now the plane from Indiana Jones at the Temple of Doom that had no pilots and was just going down. She was proud of herself and proud of the Biden administration in doing so.

[Clay Travis]

This is why I am so angry, too, is when you screw up in government, nothing happens. You get reelected. The people that you screw over, there are no consequences. Typically for you, when you screw up in business, your company goes bankrupt, the CEO gets fired. When you screw up in your jobs, you get fired. There are real consequences. They weren't just wrong, Buck. They were the exact opposite of right. Like, sometimes you're wrong and you're like, oh, this is a little gradation of failure. This is. They did the exact opposite. All of these airline people were in favor of this merger. And now the American consumer loses, all of the shareholders lose, and probably even the debt holders aren't going to be made 100% full, fully, you know, compensated here.

[Buck Sexton]

Yeah, the Biden administration was like a doctor running into the ICU and saying, take that patient off that, off that, you know, IV drip right away. And the patient died. And now they're like, look what those other doctors did. No, no, this is what Biden's team did. They took the credit for it then. They take the blame for it now. Although I'll just note, Clay, there's something even more galling. It's we talk, and we're going to be talking more about it because of the Ohio big story in the Daily Wire, Luke Rosiak. We'll talk about it. The fraud. I mean, billions and billions and billions of dollars and Somalis are involved once again, interesting. It's one thing when government is wasteful and inept and stupid. Now, that's bad enough. But when government decides like a big, lumbering blind giant to crush private industry because it's so dumb and feels like it, that's particularly annoying, right? That goes beyond even what we see with government waste. This is now the government wasting a company that could be doing just fine.

[Clay Travis]

Yes, yes, again, it is. I think that what this is indicative of is a lot of people just don't understand on the Democrat Party, basic business. If you've never made a payroll, if you've never founded a business, and I'm not talking about a big, huge business, I'm just talking about, have you ever run a small business that you hope to grow into a medium sized business? I've done it. A lot of you out there listening have done it, Buck and I, heck, are doing it right now with Crockett Coffee there's all sorts of challenges associated with running businesses. And when people who have no conception of business come and stop you from being able to do the best thing for your business, this is just. And by the way, this judge across the board, all of the Democrat Party, all of the Biden doj and the judge who was assigned this case, they all got it completely wrong. And what happens to them? Elizabeth Warren has a multimillion dollar pension. Everybody who worked in the Biden DOJ is employed making millions of dollars. The judge who got this 100% wrong has lifetime tenure. Nothing happens to him. The people who lose are the Spirit Airlines employees and the shareholders of Spirit Airlines who put their money in into this company and were not allowed to profit because JetBlue couldn't buy their assets. And by the way, JetBlue probably is going to end up losing too, because JetBlue is in dire straits. And one thing they needed to do to be able to compete with the big four airlines, they needed to have a heft buck. They needed to have more airlines, more offerings, better opportunities for consumers. And now what we're going to see, I'm just telling you, is everybody out there on, on pennies, on the dollar is going to buy the spirit assets and the strength of the four biggest airlines is going to grow.

[Buck Sexton]

Something is really up here because the airlines like the healthcare industry. Well, I, I didn't know. That's not even really fair because there are healthcare breakthroughs, there are new exciting drugs. You know, we're talking about GLPs recently, like the. Somehow the airline industry just gets worse all the time.

[Clay Travis]

Yeah.

[Buck Sexton]

The seats get smaller, the service gets worse, the tickets get more expensive. So we know it has to be the government doing stupid things because otherwise the market would sort this out over time. There has to. So I'm very curious if you really know, you know, if you're a former or current airline exec or you can explain why is it that my airline attendants are more, are more surly than ever, My seat is more uncomfortable than ever, and I'm paying more than ever for basically all of these airlines. At least that's what it feels like. Maybe not more than ever, but certainly more than I have in the last 10 or 15 years.

[Clay Travis]

I think it's exactly right. And this would go to my general thesis that I think a lot of you share. The more government gets involved in business, the worse the business does. And so I think a lot of you are frustrated.

[Buck Sexton]

Except if you're a Somali running a home health care business, buddy Then you're doing great because you just get checks for nothing. Millions of dollars.

[Clay Travis]

Yeah, but I mean, the. I mean, it really is such an interesting test. I mean, what does the government do that is way better than private industry would be? I mean, I'm not talking about provide the structure, like to allow capitalist structure to exist. The big picture of government. I'm talking about government getting involved in healthcare. Do any of you feel like healthcare is, well, run in the United States? It's infuriating. Government getting involved in what airlines should exist. It's infuriating. And Buck, the real thing is we got a break here. Airlines.

[Caller/Listener]

The.

[Clay Travis]

The fixed cost of getting competitive in an airline is so huge that it's hard. The moat that protects the existing businesses. You know how many billions of dollars you would have to raise to decide that you want to get into airline competition?

[Buck Sexton]

I don't want to sound like a baby, but, like, can Elon just buy an airline and fix all of this, please? Elon. Elon, if you're out there, you can do these. Apparently no one else can figure this out. You can do the space travel thing. I'm sure you can get a flight from, you know, Columbus to San Antonio

[Clay Travis]

going, I bet what Elon would do, honestly, Buck, I bet he would just design brand new airports, and I bet he would make the airport only exist for his airlines. I mean, it would actually be fun if you went back and you could redesign air travel. What would you do differently? But we'll take some of your calls in the meantime. Business insurance must have. If you're operating a business. I operate a business. Buck operates a business. Many of you operate businesses out there. Super sure is the first company we know of that makes sense of all the business intricacies, the insurance policies owners must maintain to operate their business wisely. Business owners complain about multiple policies, multiple applications, different brokers, no clear view of how it all fits together. And when questions come up, not easy to get the clarity you need. Super sure will change all of that. One broker for all your business insurance, backed by a team that works with you year round, not just at renewal. And if you've ever stared at a policy wondering what it covers, super sure has a fine print facts tool that translates the legal jargon into plain old English so you know what's covered and what's not. Go online@super sure.com clay for a full report on your current policies. No obligation. Find out if you're overinsured, underinsured, or somewhere in between. Go to super sure.com clay one powerful platform, all your policies in one place that super sure.com/clay paid for by Super Sure Insurance Agency, LLC, a licensed insurance agency.

[Buck Sexton]

Common sense never sounded so good.

[Clay Travis]

Clay and Buck Owning the Airwave Life can be tough.

[Buck Sexton]

Every one of us faces seasons of uncertainty, doubt and challenges that can feel overwhelming. And in those moments, we all need real encouragement, something solid to hold on to. That's why you want to know about InTouch.org it's the online home of Dr. Charles Stanley's ministry and it's filled with resources created to strengthen your faith and help you grow spiritually. When you visit, you'll find powerful sermons that speak directly to the heart, daily devotionals that offer practical wisdom, and tools designed to help you walk more closely with God in your everyday life. Whether you're searching for guidance, peace, clarity, or simply a reminder that you're not walking through life alone, InTouch.org is there to support you. So don't wait. Take a moment to explore everything it offers and discover biblical truth that speaks to your life, encourages your spirit, and helps you move forward with renewed hope.

[Clay Travis]

The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton show podcast is proud to be supported by Grand Canyon University, an affordable, private, nonprofit Christian university based in beautiful Phoenix, Arizona. They say higher education is outdated, irrelevant. GCU doesn't settle for the status quo, they shatter it at gcu.

[Buck Sexton]

Academically rigorous, industry driven programs are built to move at the speed of relevance, with practical skills, career readiness and opportunity for every learner. GCU believes education shouldn't be a privilege, but an affordable path forward for all.

[Clay Travis]

Grounded in Christian truth, GCU works to empower the next generation to lead with integrity, serve with purpose and help transform their communities. Building a future that matters. GCU is Purpose Driven Education. Take action. Find your purpose at GCU. Private Christian, affordable, non profit. Visit gcu.edu to learn more.

[Sponsor/Advertisement Voice]

Most Mother's Day gifts end up in a drawer, but a song lives in the heart forever. This year try joybox.com is giving away 1 million free custom songs to to celebrate 1 million incredible moms. Just share a few memories and joy. Box produces an original track and greeting card just for her instantly. It's the most personal gift you'll ever give and right now it's completely free. Make mom the star of her own [e-mail] 1 million songs $0 [e-mail] Paying

[Buck Sexton]

70 80$90 a month to Big Wireless for unlimited data is insane. Especially when PureTalk, my wireless company, is going to give you unlimited high speed data for just 34. 99amonth. Yes, you heard me right. PureTalk just upgraded their plans because they believe you should have all the data you need at a price that won't break the bank. So today you can get talk techs and unlimited Data for just 34.99amonth.

[Clay Travis]

You'll be on the same tower, same 5G network and have the same coverage as one of the big guys, but for a fraction of the price. And don't forget, they have a 100% US customer service team. They're committed to delivering the best experience possible for their customers. Keep your phone, keep your number and switch in as little as 10 minutes.

[Buck Sexton]

Go to PureTalk.com buck to claim unlimited high speed data for just 34.99. Again, that's PureTalk.com buck to switch to my wireless company, America's wireless company, PureTalk.

[Clay Travis]

Welcome back in Clay, Travis Buck Sexton show a lot of different people. This is a great call. And by great I mean that it is awful that it happened, but this is the real consequences. Rick, I want you to tell us because we've got a quick turn here. You said your wife was a Spirit employee. How much stock in Spirit did she have?

[Caller/Listener]

Oh, just shy of a million.

[Clay Travis]

Just short of a million dollars in Spirit stock. So.

[Caller/Listener]

Right.

[Clay Travis]

If the merger had gone through, your wife would have gotten as a employee and shareholder, $1 million. Instead, Elizabeth Warren blocked it and she lost all of that.

[Caller/Listener]

Exactly. And exactly. And I'm a free market guy. But, but honestly, the things that happened to Spirit had nothing to do with their management or the flights. They have the best safety rating. And, and honestly, they're there in 2019. They were the most profitable airline in the business.

[Clay Travis]

Eric, you stick with us. Sorry. Because I want this story. I want you to share more of your story. I think it's a good one. We've got a quick turn here, but I want to make sure Rick stays with us because this is the real consequence of poor management from a government perspective. And I want that story. We'll come back to Rick, but in the meantime, I want to tell you if you are right now seeing everything going on with the ifc, CJ you would be incredibly proud of where your money is going. This is selfless work that they are doing all over Israel. I saw this work, whether it's building new bomb shelters, whether it's helping people who don't have food in a time of war in the Middle east, this international fellowship of Christians and Jews has built a bridge between charitable Christians Here and those of Jewish faith living under harsh conditions in Israel, you can join Buck and me and give $45 right now to Rush Life Saving essentials to vulnerable people there under fire. 888-488 IFCJ. That's ifcj.org welcome back in Clay Travis Buck Sexton SHOW okay, I want to go back to Rick in Vero Beach, Florida. And this is why I think these, these stories are so important for you to hear. So, Rick, and, and you said your wife, Spirit employee, she had nearly a million dollars in Spirit stock. If Spirit had been purchased by JetBlue as the two companies in a free market had agreed to, she would have received nearly a million dollars as part of that merger. She would have then been part of a company that was bigger, better, and theoretically more equipped to be able to compete with the big carriers. And Rick, instead, she, along with every other Spirit shareholder got wiped out because of the Biden Department of Justice and the judge who agreed with them. And then Spirit goes bankrupt. And for people who don't know this, when you go bankrupt, all of the equity in the company vanishes. So, Rick, I want to bring you back in. How angry did that make you?

[Caller/Listener]

Well, obviously that's not a good thing, but there is more to the story than just that. There's a series of other things. Don't leave out Pratt and Whitney, who is the engine manufacturer that, that had a rework on their engines, which took a year each to do, and that was on over 100 planes. Pratt and Whitney's a huge company. They're bigger than Delta, you know, and, and they, because of Spirit's need for revenue, you know, they gave up a paltry amount, you know, to just pacify them. You got a lot of people that, that are the issues. And it really was not the Spirit people. They did a great job.

[Clay Travis]

And you're a free market. Some people out there are like, oh, well, the government. The government actually got involved in a free market transaction and made it worse. That's what I think a lot of people are missing here.

[Caller/Listener]

Absolutely. And the government, well, the government wrecked the, the merger, which would have kept both JetBlue and Spirit from having financial problems. And obviously the fuel issue is hurting JetBlue right now, just as it did on Spirit. But my, my feeling and my, honestly, when the, when the government screwed up by getting involved and then I got to be honest with you, I think the government screwed up by not getting involved enough on this last deal. But by then the equity was gone and there was it really didn't make financial sense. But I wish, I wish the Trump administration had gotten involved even more. And I know Donald Trump did everything he could, but, you know, it just when the government screws you up, then it should have helped. And honestly, everybody knows that. Of course, the Iran issue is not a binary, you know, whether you're for it or against it. It's, it just, it did increase jet flow. It went from two and a quarter a gallon to 248 or 488 a gallon. So damn near doubled. So it, you know, it did cause a huge impact to spirit Airlines, you know, was all the other.

[Buck Sexton]

Well, thank you, thank you for that. Appreciate, appreciate all the insights. So, Clay, a few things about the reality of airline travel that I feel like everyone is aware of, but you should really think they, they have decided that there's like a calculated misery index they're working with now. This is real meaning they, they, they bring in low base fares for people and then they just call, then they just price out. Additional layers of do you want frustration or not? Like, do you want to be able to bring bags on or not? Do you want to be able to choose your seat or not? Do you want to wait till the end of the boarding process or the beginning? All these different things. So you're paying to avoid pain and pain are the indicators or, you know, pain are the things that they are leveraging to try to squeeze more. It's not things are getting better. It's. We're going to, you know, it's airlines, one of the few industries where making things worse for you or not is really what it's all about. You're not paying for goodness, you're not paying for goodness. You're paying to avoid badness, if you will. And that's why people get so frustrated. It's also why when they were masking everybody up on the planes and everything, the hair trigger tempers were just going off and people were punching everybody. And wasn't just on Spirit Airlines. That was happening, I might add, it was happening a lot of airlines and they've made, it's true, it's not our. They've made seats smaller, they're squeezing more, they're squeezing more. We don't have enough competition. This has to get better. Americans should have better airline. Now they are very safe to point that, to say this and that's very nice. 20 years ago, 30 years ago, planes were not as safe as they are now. So the safety thing, we've basically gotten down. You know, there you go. But it's safe. But, man, is it uncomfortable? Is it frustrating? And they also operate at skeleton crews. How many times have you had been on a plane that has landed and you had that thought, you go, wow, this was easy. No line at tsa. I mean, it's cool. And then they go, yeah, we're gonna wait 30 minutes for someone to come and let you in at the gate.

[Clay Travis]

Now that's one of the.

[Buck Sexton]

That's just pure squeezing profit out at your expense. That's all that is.

[Clay Travis]

Yes. So I, I just think this is so important. We got a bunch of guys out there like Robert in Newport News, Virginia. This is important because you want to talk about free markets, and I am a free market guy. The government stopped the free market from working here. And I think this is why it's such an important story. If the government had just gotten out of the way, Spirit and JetBlue would have merged and we would have five major airlines. I really do believe this right now competing, which is better than four. Instead, Spirit and JetBlue were not allowed to merge. Spirit has gone bankrupt. It just does not exist. JetBlue may end up going bankrupt. It may not exist. And some of you may say, well, how does HEFT help in the airline industry? These companies are huge. It's not cheap to decide that you want to enter the airline industry. But Robert in Newport News, what you got for us?

[Caller/Listener]

All right, so you answered my question. You know, Kevin, from Mr. Wonderful, that in capitalism there's winners and losers.

[Clay Travis]

Yeah.

[Caller/Listener]

Spirit lost. You would think that JetBlue, another airline, as you said, get their gates, get their planes, and JetBlue can still compete. So that was question number one and question number two. Well, answer question number one. But, oh, spirit Airlines.

[Clay Travis]

So sorry, let me cut you off to answer question sorry, let me cut you off to answer question number one. I think what's going to end up happening, and some of you who are airlines experts can look at this. The big four have way more heft and way more money. So they will be able to pick, to the extent that they want, any of the. Any of the remaining assets of JetBlue, whether it's Gates, whether it's planes, it will have to go through the full bankruptcy process. But to the extent that those assets are valuable now, the biggest companies will be able to grab them, would be my expectation, because they have more heft, more revenue, more opportunity to grab those assets. Sorry to cut you off, but I think that's the answer to cut one. Now, tip question one. Now, maybe JetBlue is able to get some of those, but the reason they needed to merge was they did not have the economic capacity, heft size profits to be able to compete with the Big Four. That's what the intent of the merger was. Sorry.

[Caller/Listener]

Sorry. I was flying from Richmond to Fort Lauderdale for $49 and $59. It was cheaper to fly to Richmond. From fly to Richmond than Norfolk, where I live and stay in a hotel. You can't run an airline on 59. I mean, how they came up with that? So I. I don't. So maybe air travel is really for the wealthy and not for everybody else. I'm not a rich guy, but if air travel really costs for a company to remain healthy at $400 round trip versus 59 and, you know, $120, maybe those are the true rates where supply equals demand, and that's what the cost is.

[Buck Sexton]

Yeah.

[Clay Travis]

Thank you for the call. I don't know enough, Buck, about the particular economics of a Richmond route to South Florida. What I do know is because I know the Southwest business model well, and the Southwest business model initially, as they grew up to the size that they are now, was they went into airports that had. Were not considered primary airports. And so they started in Texas flying Love Field, you know, from jumping around in Texas. When American Airlines pulled out as a hub from Nashville, suddenly the city of Nashville had tons of open gates. My understanding, and some of y' all are probably listening in Texas right now and know the Southwest Airlines story way better than me, is that Herb Kelleher, whose name I might be mispronouncing, who founded Southwest Airlines, had a daughter at Vanderbilt and started flying in and out of Nashville a lot because he wanted to see his daughter. And when all these gates opened up, he was seeing this city, and he said, holy cow, we got an opportunity basically to make Nashville a Southwest hub. There's lots of travel back and forth between Texas and Tennessee. He did. And so now I fly Southwest everywhere because they came in and they filled it up. But. But. But back in the day, Buck, they didn't fly to LaGuardia. They flew to Iceland. They didn't fly to National. They flew to BWI a little bit. We're at the desirable areas outside of the metro big markets now. They've gotten way bigger. They took advantage of that opportunity, and they were way more affordable.

[Buck Sexton]

This. We're like a one big running commercial for Southwest, by the way. We need. The fact that we don't have a Southwest endorsement on this program is. It's kind of outrageous.

[Clay Travis]

0.1% Southwest flyer.

[Buck Sexton]

I've never, I've never heard someone speak of a company with the kind of love and, and, and expertise that you do about, about Southwest Airlines. I would say this. I think that transportation is, I believe, at something of a, at a crossroads. Meaning, first of all, I didn't mind my, I was going to do a Tesla test drive last week.

[Clay Travis]

Yeah. How did it go?

[Buck Sexton]

We had, we had to reschedule. They had a staffing issue, which I don't love, but that's okay. But they were going to come right to my house, which I love that idea. And I'll say this Clay, as autonomous driving gets better and more adopted, people are going to start. It's very, it's a very different thing to say I'm going to drive four hours, six hours, whatever, when you're actually just lying back in your seat taking a nap and whatever. So for example, for me to go to Tampa from Miami is about a four hour drive. But if I can get into a Tesla and remember, you can do this at night too.

[Clay Travis]

Right.

[Buck Sexton]

You don't have to worry about night driving. If I can get into a autonomous car at 8pm and it gets me to Tampa by midnight and I don't, by the way, on a charge I don't have to pay, I think people are going to start making. Because the airlines just suck so much. People are so obviously from New York to la, okay, you got to fly,

[Clay Travis]

you got to suck it up.

[Buck Sexton]

Like there are some routes where you're going to deal with this. But I think people are going to be looking at autonomous driving and soon they're going to have these vtol. I think that's what it's vertical takeoff, landing. I think it's VTOL personal vehicles that are going to make short term low level flight far more appealing because we just can't. You can't have this thing where the airlines are making money off of driving you nuts, making you miserable, making you uncomfortable, making your back hurt, which is what goes. And blowing out your whole vacation for two days because they don't have the, you know, they don't have the staffing or the routes or whatever. Everyone's sick and tired of it.

[Clay Travis]

Yeah. I had this exact conversation I was down on In God's country on the Florida Panhandle this weekend. Some of you watching on video may not, may have gotten a little bit more sun than I intended. But, but it was, it was great. But I was talking with my buddies, I had a couple of them down with Me and they were saying well how do you decide Nashville to, to the, you know, Destin Panama City beach area where, where we go a lot. It's about a six and a half or seven hour drive if everything goes well from Nashville to get down to, to that area. How do you decide when you fly versus when you drive? And Southwest has so many flights now that most of the time now I just hop a flight for a weekend. Now if I were going to go down for a week or a long vacation, things would be different. But what I was telling them was but you know what could change the game? What you just mentioned. Buck my Tesla self drive. If you told me hey I can get in, I can punch in an address and I guarantee that I'll be there in seven hours.

[Buck Sexton]

Right.

[Clay Travis]

Versus what you said. You get to the airport, you go through security, a flight might be delayed and there's actually more certainty sometimes on being able to just get in a car and drive than there is in being able to, to fly now which I think is a flaw of our transportation system. To your point, when people feel like

[Buck Sexton]

it is safe to be on their phones texting, watching Instagram videos, whatever while

[Clay Travis]

they are being driven wars you kick back, you watch a couple of movies on a six hour drive instead of a one hour flight. But you factor in the time through security. I think it changes things. Yeah. And I, autonomous driving is going to be a big difference maker there.

[Buck Sexton]

I mean I, I'll tell you this. I, you know, I, I, there are plenty of routes because Florida north south is very, very tricky and you know there, there are plenty of, of routes that I would consider taking a three or four hour car ride instead of trying to deal with something with the airline these days. So that's something to keep in mind. I think we're going to head in that direction. I also, Elon is working on Hyperloops which eventually I think will also be really because it just needs to get better. Because the airlines just aren't getting better. They're getting worse. They're getting worse and, and it's very sad that they've turned into. Instead of things getting more comfortable and better, they're saying we can squeeze more profit. If your back hurts, you lose three hours of your day that you didn't need to. You're, you don't get any food or the food you're given is garbage and

[Clay Travis]

you're uncomfortable and angry. Where people are really getting grabbed is pack charging for, for bags. Right? So like you're, there's not Overhead bin space where you borrow the disgusting thing

[Buck Sexton]

they do where they go that won't fit. And you're like, yeah, it does. They're like, no. And now you have to pay. And they get a bounty for that. As we. That that was a thing going on.

[Clay Travis]

And by the way, then your bag doesn't make the plane. So you get on your vacation and you get off and you're standing there at the, at the. I basically have reached the point now I'm not a fashion plate buck. I was, I was actually having this conversation. I will not ever check a bag. I would rather show up in some random city and have to go buy new clothes. Like what? What do I care? I can go to. You know, the clothes do not cost very much now. At least not the clothes that I wear. I can buy a pair of jeans for 30 bucks. I can the. The amount that you have to pay to check things. Now I know some of you women, my wife feels differently. Her clothes are more important to her. I'm not that connected to most of my gear. Like I'll, I'll just wear new stuff. And some of you could tell because you make fun of me in my pictures, but I'm just not a clothes guy, you know.

[Buck Sexton]

Some industries change and evolve for the better over time. Unfortunately, the airline industry is not one of them. But here's one that does. Buying a tree for your yard or plants for your home. For years, you'd have to go to your local nursery, your garden apartment, deal with all this nonsense. How about this? Super efficient, super easy and top quality. Fast growing trees. More than 2 million Americans have relied on the largest online nursery in America. Fast Growing Trees.com is the website making this possible. Healthy trees and plants fresh from the nursery delivered right to your home. Fast Growing Trees has a large team of plant experts with a ton of knowledge. Carrie and I relied on them to help us green up our home. We just got a whole bunch of beautiful bamboo sent to us in the mail, just arrived right at my front doorstep, and now we've got them out on our porch. Bamboo is great for Miami because it can thrive in the super hot difficult climate here. And I know that because of the experts at fast growing trees, every plant is backed by their alive and thrive guarantee. Go online to Fast growing trees dot com. Find the trees and plants you want. Use my name Buck as your promo code for 20 off your purchase. Fast Growing Trees.com promo code buck for 20 off your first order.

[Clay Travis]

Level up your brain and balance out your day with the right amount of information and entertainment Clay Travis and Buck Sexton on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Buck Sexton]

Life can be tough. Every one of us faces seasons of uncertainty, doubt and challenges that can feel overwhelming. And in those moments, we all need real encouragement, something solid to hold on to. That's why you want to know about InTouch.org it's the online home of Dr. Charles Stanley's ministry and it's filled with resources created to strengthen your faith and help you grow spiritually. When you visit, you'll find powerful sermons that speak directly to the heart, daily devotionals that offer practical wisdom, and tools designed to help you walk more closely with God in your everyday life. Whether you're searching for guidance, peace, clarity, or simply a reminder that you're not walking through life alone, InTouch.org is there to support you. So don't wait. Take a moment to explore everything it offers and discover biblical truth that speaks to your life and encourages your spirit and helps you move forward with renewed hope.

[Clay Travis]

The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton show podcast is proud to be supported by Grand Canyon University, an affordable, private, nonprofit Christian university based in beautiful Phoenix, Arizona. They say higher education is outdated, irrelevant. GCU doesn't settle for the status quo, they shatter it at gcu.

[Buck Sexton]

Academically rigorous, industry driven programs are built to move at the speed of relevance with practical skills, career readiness and opportunity for every learner. GCU believes education shouldn't be a privilege, but an affordable path forward for all.

[Clay Travis]

Grounded in Christian truth, GCU works to empower the next generation to lead with integrity, serve with purpose and help transform their communities, building a future that matters. GCU is purpose Driven education. Take action. Find your purpose at gcu. Private Christian, affordable, non profit. Visit gcu Edu to learn more.

[Sponsor/Advertisement Voice]

Most Mother's Day gifts end up in a drawer, but a song lives in the heart forever. This year try joybox.com is giving away 1 million free custom songs to celebrate 1 million incredible moms. Just share a few memories and joy. Box produces an original track in greeting card just for her instantly. It's the most powerful personal gift you'll ever give. And right now it's completely free. Make mom the star of her own [e-mail] 1,000,000 songs $0 [e-mail] Paying 70,

[Buck Sexton]

80, $90 a month to Big Wireless for unlimited data is insane. Especially when Pure Talk My wireless company is going to give you unlimited high speed Data for just $34.99 a month. Yes, you heard me right. PureTalk just upgraded their plans because they believe you should have all the data you need at a point price that won't break the bank. So today you can get talk, text and unlimited Data for just 34.99amonth.

[Clay Travis]

You'll be on the same tower, same 5G network and have the same coverage as one of the big guys, but for a fraction of the price. And don't forget, they have a 100% US customer service team. They're committed to delivering the best experience possible for their customers. Keep your phone, keep your number and switch in as little as 10, 10 minutes. Go to PureTalk.com Clay to claim unlimited high speed data for just 34.99. Again, that's PureTalk.com Clay to switch to America's wireless company, Pure Talk.

[Buck Sexton]

Welcome back into Clay and Buck. We have much to discuss with you. Today. We got deep into the Spirit Airlines, which unfortunately has been scalped by Elizabeth Warren and co. It is no more and it's a sad thing. I was hoping that we would be able to smoke the peace pipe and celebrate JetBlue and Spirit. A merger, if you will. The two nations coming together. Instead, no, they are buried in their sacred burial ground. So that's what happened there. Thanks to Elizabeth Warren. We will come back here. We'll talk about Iran for sure. Clay. I think feeling good about things. Clay is feeling positive about the Iran situation playing out the way that Trump wants it to. We'll discuss that. Clay. Also, do you saw this article, right, from the Daily Wire, Luke Rosiak, who's been an investigative reporter for a long time, guys, a lot of you were thinking, hey, I have to work so hard at my job or the business I'm starting or whatever. What do you think about people who are getting, I don't know, a million dollar check to hang out with a family member pretending, pretending that they're doing home health care.

[Clay Travis]

Because that's happening a lot.

[Buck Sexton]

We should talk about this and what's going on. Coming up next. Life is full of challenges, but you don't have to face them alone. At InTouch.org you'll find powerful sermons from Dr. Charles Stanley, Daily devotionals and resources designed to strengthen your faith and bring hope into your everyday life. Whether you're searching for encouragement, biblical wisdom or practical guidance, InTouch.org is here to help you grow closer to God. Discover truth that speaks to your heart. Visit intouch.org today.

[Sponsor/Advertisement Voice]

Most Mother's Day gifts end up in a drawer. But a song lives in the heart forever. This year, tryjoybox.com is giving away 1 million free custom songs to celebrate 1 million incredible moms. Just share a few memories and joy. Box produces an original track and greeting card just for her instantly. It's the most personal gift you'll ever give. And right now, it's completely free. Make mom the star of her own song at tryjoybox.com 1 million songs $0

[Buck Sexton]

[e-mail] these days, it seems like AI agents are just about everywhere you turn every field and every function. But without identity, you can't trust they'll serve your business instead of jeopardizing it. Fortunately, Okta helps you get identity right by securing your AI agents identities, giving you a single layer of control, a single standard of trust. So whether an AI agent supports a single user or your entire enterprise, with Okta you'll turn risk into opportunity. Secure every agent. Secure any agent. Okta secures AI the wait is almost over.

[Clay Travis]

Get ready for the NFL season with

[Buck Sexton]

a highly anticipated 2026 NFL schedule release.

[Clay Travis]

Every rivalry, every rematch and every rookie

[Buck Sexton]

debut with matchups locked and kickoffs confirmed. Be there for every can't miss moment. The full NFL schedule release coming in May. Get all the [e-mail] schedulerelease.