Owners falling behind on car loans are not the only ones facing repossession experts - they also target leased planes when airlines collapse. The abrupt collapse of Spirit Airlines scattered its aircraft nationwide after their last flights, according to the Wall Street Journal. Nomadic Aviation Group stepped in to recover these planes and relocate them to storage sites.

Spirit, like numerous carriers, leased rather than bought its jets outright. The airline had attempted to return half its fleet amid its second bankruptcy filing last year, with lessors keeping a watchful eye as it headed toward shutdown. Though anticipated, the rapid liquidation caught many off guard. Spirit's Airbus planes remained at their final destinations, some abandoned right at gates, stranding passengers and tying up ramps with no staff left to intervene.

Nomadic handles recovery for leasing firms, verifying airworthiness and ferrying planes to storage. The team had tracked Spirit's troubles but was stunned by the pace. "I had six hours to find 20 pilots," co-founder Bob Allen shared with the Wall Street Journal. Several pilots tapped for these ferry missions were former Spirit crew members.

A Far Cry from Standard Repossession

Snatching a passenger jet demands more than a tow truck and hookup. Airports require proper authorization before releasing multimillion-dollar assets to outsiders. Even after legal clearances, Nomadic must refuel, submit flight plans, assemble crews, and conduct checks. A certified mechanic and FAA inspector certify each plane's safety before liftoff. Idle time increases required upkeep, so swift action cuts future repair needs.

Storage solutions? Two desert yards near Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona - chosen like the nearby Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, or "Boneyard," for ideal conditions. From Fox 10 Phoenix:

"The reason we take them out here to Arizona is No. 1, Arizona is a dry climate," Allen said. "So airplanes that sit in wet climates, they start to deteriorate. They start developing [corrosion]. This is a very difficult situation for not only Spirit and its airlines and its employees, but also for the leasing industry. So they're trusting us to do this as efficiently as possible."

Much of Spirit's old fleet could go to rival airlines via new leases. Older models might yield engines for scrapping amid Pratt & Whitney shortages, potentially reactivating grounded newer jets. The leasing owners will ultimately dictate the zombie fleet's future.