Ben Baldanza

{{Infobox person

| name = Ben Baldanza

| image = Ben Baldanza.jpg

| image_upright = 1.5

| caption = Baldanza at a Wings Club luncheon in 2013

| birth_name = Basil Ben Baldanza Jr.

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1961|12|3}}

| birth_place = Rome, New York, U.S.

| death_date = {{Death date and age|2024|11|5|1961|12|3}}

| death_place = Arlington County, Virginia, U.S.

| education = Syracuse University (B.A.)
Princeton University (MPA)

| occupation = Business executive

| years_active = 1986–2024

| spouse = {{Marriage|Marcia Moshier|1987}}

| children = 1

| awards = {{nobr|Wright Brothers Memorial Trophy}}

| module = {{Infobox officeholder

| embed = yes

| office = Non-executive director of SixFlags

| term = November 15, 2021 – November 5, 2024

| predecessor = Selim Bassoul

| successor = Vacant

| office1 = CEO and President of Spirit Airlines

| term1 = January 24, 2005 – January 4, 2016

| predecessor1 = Jacob M. Shorr

| successor1 = Robert Fornaro

}}

Basil Ben Baldanza Jr. (December 3, 1961 – November 5, 2024) was an American business executive who was the chief executive officer and president of Spirit Airlines from 2005 to 2016, a period in which he led the transformation of the company into an ultra-low-cost carrier.

Early life and education

Basil Ben Baldanza Jr. was born to Air Force civilian personnel Basil B. Baldanza Sr. (1920–2008) and homemaker Norma V. Baldanza (1924–1983) in Rome, New York, on December 3, 1961.{{Cite web |last=Schlangenstein |first=Mary |date=November 6, 2024 |title=Ben Baldanza, Discount Flight Pioneer at Spirit, Dies at 62 |url=https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/business/2024/11/06/ben-baldanza-pioneer-of-budget-air-travel-at-spirit-dies-at-62/ |access-date=November 7, 2024 |website=BNN Bloomberg}}{{Cite web |date=December 2008 |title=Obituary of Basil B. Baldanza |url=https://njbushfuneralhome.com/tribute/details/29/Basil-Baldanza/obituary.html |access-date=November 8, 2024 |website=Nicholas J Bush Funeral Home}} He had 4 siblings. His brother, Mark, died in 1991. In his youth, he played the trombone and briefly thought of a professional musical career.{{Cite news |last=The Associated Press |date=July 12, 2011 |title=Spirit Airlines CEO Ben Baldanza bio |url=http://www.seattletimes.com/business/spirit-airlines-ceo-ben-baldanza-bio/ |access-date=October 9, 2017 |work=The Seattle Times}} He later attended Syracuse University and graduated with a bachelor's degree in policy studies and economics in 1984. He earned his Master of Public Affairs degree at Princeton University in 1986.{{Cite news |last=Mayerowitz |first=Scott |date=July 12, 2011 |title=Meet America's king of airline fees |url=http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sdut-meet-americas-king-of-airline-fees-2011jul12-story.html |access-date=October 9, 2017 |work=The San Diego Union-Tribune}}

Career

In 1986, Baldanza began his career in the airline industry working for the American Airlines Group until 1991, where he was a member of chief executive officer Robert Crandall's "Brat Pack", alongside Thomas W. Horton, C. David Cush, and Doug Parker.{{Cite web |date=December 29, 2011 |title=American Brat Pack: Where Airline CEOs Came Of Age |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/texas/news/american-brat-pack-where-airline-ceos-came-of-age/ |access-date=April 15, 2024 |website=CBS News}}

He was later employed by Northwest Airlines and briefly worked at the UPS afterwards. In August 1994,{{Cite web |title=B. Ben Baldanza - Independent Board Director at JetBlue Airways |url=https://theorg.com/org/jetblue/org-chart/b-ben-baldanza |access-date=November 9, 2024 |website=TheOrg.com}} he was hired by Continental Airlines as the VP of Pricing, and soon was promoted to EVP of Marketing.{{Cite news |last=Boisseau |first=Charles |date=April 16, 1995 |title=Continental Admits Flub, Turns Off Lite Struggling Airline Decides To Halt Ill-Conceived No-Frills Operation |url=http://www.spokesman.com/stories/1995/apr/16/continental-admits-flub-turns-off-lite-struggling/ |access-date=October 9, 2017 |work=The Spokesman-Review}} By December 1996, he had left Continental to serve as the managing director{{Cite news |last=Rohter |first=Larry |author-link=Larry Rohter |date=April 15, 1998 |title=International Business; A Home-Grown Giant Of Central America |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/04/15/business/international-business-a-home-grown-giant-of-central-america.html |access-date=October 9, 2017 |work=The New York Times}} and COO of TACA Airlines. While at Taca, he also served on the board of directors of Frontier Airlines. From September 27, 1999{{Cite web |date=September 27, 1999 |title=B. Ben Baldanza |url=https://aviationweek.com/b-ben-baldanza |url-access=subscription |access-date=November 9, 2024 |website=Aviation Week Network}} to January 2005,{{Cite web |date=January 12, 2005 |title=US Airways Executive Said to Be Leaving |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/12/business/us-airways-executive-said-to-be-leaving.html |access-date=November 9, 2024 |website=The New York Times}} he served as the senior vice president of Marketing and International Operations for US Airways while a troubling period during which the company filed for bankruptcy twice in as many years.{{Cite news |last=Alexander |first=Keith |date=September 15, 2004 |title=US Airways |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A18646-2004Sep13.html |access-date=October 9, 2017 |newspaper=The Washington Post}}

Baldanza left US Airways to become the president and COO of Spirit Airlines on January 24, 2005.{{Cite web |last=Compart |first=Andrew |date=May 9, 2005 |title=In the Hot Seat: Ben Baldanza: Travel Weekly |url=http://www.travelweekly.com/In-the-Hot-Seat/In-the-Hot-Seat-Ben-Baldanza |access-date=October 9, 2017 |website=Travel Weekly |publisher=Northstar Travel Group}}{{Cite web |last=Stoller |first=Gary |date=June 21, 2009 |title=Spirit Airlines is cheap, and CEO Ben Baldanza's proud of it |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Business/story?id=7895028&page=1 |access-date=October 9, 2017 |website=ABC News (United States)}}{{Cite web |date=January 12, 2005 |title=Spirit Airlines Appoints Ben Baldanza President and Chief Operating Officer |url=http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/050112/125715_1.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050131153523/http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/050112/125715_1.html |archive-date=January 31, 2005 |access-date=November 8, 2024 |website=Yahoo Finance}} He became the chief executive officer of Spirit in May 2006.{{Cite web |last=Noden |first=Merrell |date=July 7, 2010 |title=A moment with ... Ben Baldanza *86, on airline economics |url=https://paw.princeton.edu/article/moment-ben-baldanza-86-airline-economics |access-date=November 9, 2024 |website=Princeton Alumni Weekly}} At the time, the company had lost $79 million the previous year.{{Cite news |last=Satchell |first=Arlene |date=January 13, 2016 |title=Former Spirit CEO Baldanza could get $1M in severance plus airline tickets for life |url=http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/tourism/fl-spirit-baldanza-severance-20160113-story.html |access-date=October 9, 2017 |work=Sun Sentinel}} He replaced Jacob M. Schorr, who had served as CEO since 2000.{{Cite web |date=May 25, 2006 |title=New Spirit CEO To Guide Fleet Transition |url=https://www.aviationpros.com/home/news/10399895/new-spirit-ceo-to-guide-fleet-transition |access-date=November 7, 2024 |website=Aviation Pros}}{{Cite web |title=Jacob M Schorr, Spirit Airlines Inc: Profile and Biography |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/profile/person/4697615 |url-access=subscription |access-date=November 7, 2024 |website=Bloomberg L.P.}} During his tenure, Baldanza was "the public face of Spirit's transformation into a more extreme version of a discount airline." He designed a plan to transform it into an ultra-low-cost carrier. The company implemented a "Bare Fare" model,{{Cite news |last=Carey |first=Susan |date=January 5, 2016 |title=Spirit Airlines Names Industry Veteran Fornaro as New CEO |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/spirit-airlines-names-industry-veteran-fornaro-as-new-ceo-1452003624 |access-date=October 9, 2017 |work=The Wall Street Journal}} opting to charge airline fees for many services included in traditional airline fares.{{Cite news |last=Satchell |first=Arlene |date=January 5, 2016 |title=Ben Baldanza out as CEO at Spirit Airlines |url=http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/tourism/fl-spirit-airlines-new-ceo-20160105-story.html |access-date=October 9, 2017 |work=Sun Sentinel}}{{Cite news |last=Weber |first=Harry R. |date=April 19, 2010 |title=5 U.S. airlines say no to carry-on fees |url=http://www.sfgate.com/travel/article/5-U-S-airlines-say-no-to-carry-on-fees-3192132.php |access-date=October 9, 2017 |work=SFGate}} This included fees for the option to select a desired seat,{{Cite web |last=Mayerowitz |first=Scott |date=July 14, 2010 |title=Airline CEO: Bags 'Not Essential' |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Travel/spirit-airlines-ceo-defends-luggage-fees-tells-congress/story?id=11162586 |access-date=October 9, 2017 |website=ABC News (United States)}} food and drink, carry-on and checked baggages.{{Cite web |last=Khan |first=Huma |date=May 7, 2010 |title=Paying for Using Plane Bathrooms? Spirit Air CEO Says No But Doesn't Discount New Fees |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Travel/Business/spirit-airlines-ceo-ben-baldanza-travel-fees-needed/story?id=10578448 |access-date=October 9, 2017 |website=ABC News (United States)}} On July 14, 2010, Baldanza testified in a U.S. Congress hearing in which he defended the airline's unpopular "policy to unbundle services not essential to passenger transport." He was featured in a 2010 video in which he placed himself inside an overhead bin to defend the airlines new policy on carry-on fees by saying "Had we not implemented this, there's no telling what people would try to put in an overhead bin".{{Cite news |last=Sharkey |first=Joe |author-link=Joe Sharkey |date=August 23, 2010 |title=Carry-Ons and Courtesy Need to Co-Exist |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/24/business/24road.html |access-date=October 9, 2017 |work=The New York Times}}{{Cite magazine |last=Tuttle |first=Brad |date=May 3, 2012 |title=See That Flight Price? Add $103 to It |url=https://business.time.com/2012/05/03/see-that-flight-price-add-103-to-it/ |access-date=October 9, 2017 |magazine=Time}}

According to The Seattle Times, Baldanza's annual salary was $607,360 in 2010.{{Cite web |last=The Associated Press |date=July 12, 2011 |title=Spirit Airlines CEO Ben Baldanza bio |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/business/spirit-airlines-ceo-ben-baldanza-bio/ |access-date=November 7, 2024 |website=The Seattle Times}} His annual salary was $500,000 in 2014.{{Cite web |last=Clampet |first=Jason |date=January 9, 2016 |title=Spirit Air's Ex-CEO Walks Away With $1 Million and Free Flights for Life |url=https://skift.com/2016/01/09/spirit-airs-ex-ceo-walks-away-with-1-million-and-free-flights-for-life/ |access-date=November 7, 2024 |website=Skift}} {{Ill|Benzinga|zh}} estimated his net worth at $15.3 million in November 2024.{{Cite web |title=B ben Baldanza net worth, bio and insider trades. |url=https://www.benzinga.com/sec/insider-trades/0001243459/b-ben-baldanza |access-date=November 7, 2024 |website={{Ill|Benzinga|zh}}}}

During his tenure, the airline became profitable in "a period in which many airlines struggled to stay in business." By 2011, "Spirit [had] earned 40% more per airplane than any other U.S. airline".{{Cite news |last=Nicas |first=Jack |date=May 12, 2012 |title=A Stingy Spirit Lifts Airline's Profit |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702304749904577384383044911796 |access-date=October 9, 2017 |work=The Wall Street Journal}} Baldanza and other executives at Spirit were paid less than others in the industry and but instead owned shares in the company.{{Cite news |last=Kristof |first=Kathy |date=June 3, 2013 |title=Coping With a Moody Market |url=https://www.kiplinger.com/article/investing/T052-C028-S002-coping-with-a-moody-market.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240301000649/https://www.kiplinger.com/article/investing/T052-C028-S002-coping-with-a-moody-market.html |archive-date=March 1, 2024 |access-date=October 9, 2017 |work=Kiplinger}} Baldanza often promoted terms such as "a bus with wings" and "dollar store of the sky" to describe the airline. He pushed for ways of offsetting costs by selling advertising spaces where ever available on the plane, including flight attendant aprons, seat back trays, overhead bins, napkins, cups and sickness bags.{{Cite magazine |last=Tuttle |first=Brad |date=March 12, 2014 |title=At Long Last, Your Company Can Advertise on Airline Barf Bags |url=https://time.com/21871/at-long-last-your-company-can-advertise-on-airline-barf-bags/ |access-date=October 9, 2017 |magazine=Time}} His company used advertising that often went viral instead of relying on a large marketing budget. Their advertisements often contained sexual innuendo as well as topical subjects in pop culture and politics.{{Cite news |last=Malone |first=Kenny |date=September 3, 2013 |title=Spirit Airlines Sees Business Take Off With Raunchy Ads |url=https://www.npr.org/2013/09/03/218625844/spirit-airlines-sees-business-take-off-with-raunchy-ads |access-date=October 9, 2017 |work=NPR}} Examples include the "Weiner sale" in 2011, shortly after the initial Anthony Weiner sexting scandals, advertising $9 fares that were "too HARD to resist".

On January 4, 2016, Baldanza resigned from his position as chief executive officer and president of Spirit, after serving in the position for more than 10 years. The resignation was described by several news outlets as unexpected and abrupt. Baldanza stated that the move was part of "an orderly succession plan."{{Cite news |date=January 5, 2016 |title=Brash, fee-happy CEO of Spirit Airlines abruptly replaced |url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-spirit-airlines-ceo-replaced-20160105-story.html |access-date=October 9, 2017 |work=Chicago Tribune}} Spirit said that Baldanza had recently moved his family to Washington, D.C. He was replaced by Robert Fornaro, a member of the board that Baldanza personally recruited in 2014.

Baldanza served on the board of JetBlue,{{Cite web |title=Governance − Board of Directors |url=https://ir.jetblue.com/governance/board-of-directors/default.aspx |access-date=April 15, 2024 |website=JetBlue}} Wow Air,{{Cite web |last=Broadbent |first=Mark |date=April 25, 2019 |title=Why did WOW Air fail? |url=https://www.key.aero/article/why-did-wow-air-fail |access-date=November 9, 2024 |website=Key Aero}} Odyssey Airlines,{{Cite web |last=Baldanza |first=Ben |title=Ben Baldanza - Washington, DC, Diemacher, LLC, Princeton University ... |url=https://about.me/baldanza |access-date=November 9, 2024 |website=about.me}} Go First{{Cite web |title=BEN BALDANZA |url=https://malaysia.bciaerospace.com/ben-baldanza |access-date=November 7, 2024 |website=BCI Aerospace Malaysia}} and Six Flags.{{Cite web |title=Board of Directors |url=https://investors.sixflags.com/corporate-governance/board-of-directors |access-date=April 15, 2024 |website=SixFlags}} He was also an adjunct professor of economics at George Mason University.{{Cite web |title=Faculty and Staff: Ben Baldanza – Economics |url=https://economics.gmu.edu/people/bbaldanz |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240708084709/https://economics.gmu.edu/people/bbaldanz |archive-date=July 8, 2024 |access-date=April 15, 2024 |website=George Mason University}} He co-hosted a weekly podcast called Airlines Confidential with long-time The Wall Street Journal journalist Scott McCartney.{{Cite web |title=Your Hosts |url=https://airlinesconfidential.com/contact-us/authors/ |access-date=April 15, 2024 |website=Airlines Confidential Podcast}} Baldanza retired from the podcast on August 11, 2024, citing health issues.{{Cite web |last=Kaplan |first=Seth |date=August 17, 2024 |title=Former Spirit Airlines CEO Baldanza, battling ALS, retires from podcast; has 'very little energy' left |url=https://www.abc27.com/news/top-stories/former-spirit-airlines-ceo-baldanza-battling-als-retires-from-podcast-has-very-little-energy-left/ |access-date=November 7, 2024 |website=WHTM-TV}}

On November 15, 2021, Baldanza was elected as the non-executive chairman of Six Flags.{{Cite web |date=November 15, 2021 |title=Six Flags Announces New CEO |url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211115005677/en/Six-Flags-Announces-New-CEO |access-date=November 15, 2021 |website=Business Wire}} He was the CEO of Diemacher LLC from 2016 until his death.{{Cite web |title=B. Ben Baldanza *86, SPIA {{!}} GradFUTURES |url=https://gradfutures.princeton.edu/grad-stories/b-ben-baldanza-86-spia |access-date=November 7, 2024 |website=Princeton University}}{{Cite web |title=Ben Baldanza |url=https://www.quora.com/profile/Ben-Baldanza-1/questions |access-date=November 9, 2024 |website=Quora}}

Criticism

Baldanza faced significant criticism stemming from transformation of Spirit Airlines into an ultra-low-cost carrier. He was largely unapologetic about his company's new pricing policy.{{Cite magazine |last=Saporito |first=Bill |date=December 11, 2013 |title=The Budget Deal Is Going to Jack Up Your Airfare |url=https://business.time.com/2013/12/11/the-budget-deal-is-going-to-jack-up-your-airfares/ |access-date=October 9, 2017 |magazine=Time}}

The most reported criticism of Baldanza stemmed from his handling of customer complaints, most notably his initial refusal to refund the fare of a terminally-ill military veteran in May 2012. The Vietnam veteran was diagnosed with cancer and was recently informed that it was terminal and that he was unfit to travel by plane. He requested a refund and was refused. Baldanza initially defended his team's decision by stating that the customer had purchased a non-refundable fare with no insurance and therefore the company did not owe him a refund as that would be unfair to other customers.{{Cite news |last=Miller |first=Joshua Rhett |date=May 3, 2012 |title=Spirit Airlines CEO: Dying vet has himself to blame for no refund |url=https://www.foxnews.com/us/spirit-airlines-ceo-dying-vet-has-himself-to-blame-for-no-refund |access-date=October 9, 2017 |work=Fox News}} He faced criticism from veterans organizations including a social media campaign to boycott Spirit Airlines. Baldanza eventually apologized for failing to "demonstrate the respect or the compassion that [he] should have, given [the customer's] medical condition and his service to [his] country." He announced he would return the price of the fare from his own funds{{Cite news |last=Elliott |first=Christopher |date=November 29, 2012 |title=The Insider: A Tale of Two Airlines |url=http://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/traveler-magazine/the-insider/airline-comparison/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170801210529/http://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/traveler-magazine/the-insider/airline-comparison/ |archive-date=August 1, 2017 |access-date=October 9, 2017 |work=National Geographic Traveler}} and that Spirit Airlines would make a donation to a veteran's group.{{Cite news |last=Miller |first=Joshua Rhett |date=May 4, 2012 |title=Spirit bows to pressure: Airline CEO to refund dying veteran's fare |url=https://www.foxnews.com/us/spirit-bows-to-pressure-airline-ceo-to-refund-dying-veterans-fare |access-date=October 9, 2017 |work=Fox News}}

Charity and philanthropy

Baldanza and his wife supported various educational institutions and arts programs through the Baldanza Fund.{{Cite web |last=Ortiz |first=Luisana |date=September 1, 2022 |title=Baldanza Fund aims to improve learning for diverse, underrepresented students |url=https://dailyorange.com/2022/09/baldanza-fund-learning-diverse-underrepresented-students/ |access-date=November 7, 2024 |website=The Daily Orange}}

He participated in the Ice Bucket Challenge in August 2014, while challenging Richard H. Anderson to join.{{Cite web |last=Laing |first=Keith |date=August 19, 2014 |title=Spirit Airlines CEO dares rivals to take ALS challenge |url=https://thehill.com/policy/transportation/215469-spirit-airlines-ceo-dares-competitors-to-take-als-challenge/ |access-date=November 9, 2024 |website=The Hill}}

He served on Syracuse University's Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs Advisory Board.{{Cite web |title=Maxwell Advisory Board |url=https://www.maxwell.syr.edu/about/school-leadership/maxwell-advisory-board |access-date=April 15, 2024 |website=Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs}}

Baldanza acted as a treasurer for the American Youth Philharmonic Orchestras{{Cite web |title=Board of Directors |url=https://www.aypo.org/board-of-directors |access-date=April 15, 2024 |website=American Youth Philharmonic Orchestras}} and served on the Audit Committee for the International Trombone Association.{{Cite web |date=January 7, 2016 |title=Committees |url=https://www.trombone.net/about-ita/committees/ |access-date=April 15, 2024 |website=International Trombone Association}}

Personal life and death

In 1987, Baldanza married Marcia Moshier, with whom he had one son; Marcia Baldanza is an assistant professor of education at Marymount University {{as of|2021|lc=yes}}.{{Cite web |date=April 14, 2021 |title=Marcia Baldanza, EdD |url=https://marymount.edu/staff-members/marcia-baldanza/ |access-date=November 8, 2024 |website=Marymount University}}{{Cite web |last=Cortez |first=Joe |date=November 6, 2024 |title=Ben Baldanza, Former Spirit Airlines CEO, Dies at 62 |url=https://www.flyertalk.com/articles/ben-baldanza-former-spirit-airlines-ceo-dies-at-62.html |access-date=November 7, 2024 |website=FlyerTalk}}{{cite news|url = https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/08/business/ben-baldanza-dead.html|title = Ben Baldanza, Who Brought No-Frills Flying to Spirit Airlines, Dies at 62|last = Risen|first = Clay|date = November 8, 2024|accessdate = November 8, 2024|newspaper = The New York Times|url-access = limited}}

He used to own a collection of thousands of board games which he played.{{Cite news |last=Mayerowitz |first=Scott |date=February 9, 2014 |title=Spirit Airlines chief is a ruthless strategist, even at play |url=https://old.seattletimes.com/html/businesstechnology/2022853884_inpersonbaldanzaxml.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190711133705/https://old.seattletimes.com/html/businesstechnology/2022853884_inpersonbaldanzaxml.html |archive-date=July 11, 2019 |access-date=July 11, 2019 |work=The Seattle Times Company}} In June 2023, he donated most of his games to local DC-area and Pennsylvania gaming groups, keeping about 100 for his family. He was a voting member of the International Gamers Awards.{{Cite web |title=Ben Baldanza |url=https://www.internationalgamersawards.net/general-strategy/ben-baldanza |access-date=April 15, 2024 |website=International Gamers Awards}}

Baldanza lived in Houston for five years. He also lived in McLean, Virginia, San Salvador, Fort Lauderdale, Florida{{Cite web |date=February 6, 2014 |title=Meet the strategist who's changing how we pay to fly |url=https://www.denverpost.com/2014/02/06/meet-the-strategist-whos-changing-how-we-pay-to-fly/ |access-date=November 9, 2024 |website=The Denver Post}} and the Washington metropolitan area.

In 2022, Baldanza was diagnosed with ALS caused by a mutation in the C9orf72 gene.{{Cite web |date=March 19, 2024 |title=Former Spirit Airlines CEO, now battling ALS, gets 'new' AI voice based on his own pre-disease voice |url=https://www.abc27.com/news/former-spirit-airlines-ceo-now-battling-als-gets-new-ai-voice-based-on-his-own-pre-disease-voice/ |access-date=April 15, 2024 |website=WHTM-TV}} His mother, Norma, died of the same disease in 1983, at age 58. He died of ALS at his home in Arlington County, Virginia, on November 5, 2024, at age 62.{{Cite web |date=November 6, 2024 |title=Ben Baldanza Pioneer of budget air travel at spirit dies at 62 |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-11-06/ben-baldanza-pioneer-of-budget-air-travel-at-spirit-dies-at-62 |access-date=November 6, 2024 |website=Bloomberg L.P.}}{{Cite web |title=B. Ben Baldanza |url=https://airlinesconfidential.com/baldanza |access-date=November 7, 2024 |website=Airlines Confidential Podcast}}{{Cite web |last=Juan |first=Eric San |date=November 7, 2024 |title=Ben Baldanza (1961–2024), former Spirit Airlines CEO |url=https://www.legacy.com/news/celebrity-deaths/ben-baldanza-1961-2024-former-spirit-airlines-ceo/ |access-date=November 8, 2024 |website=Legacy.com}}

Awards and recognition

Baldanza was named among 25 Most Influential People in Business Travel in 2002 and 2015 by Business Travel News.{{Cite web |last=Airoldi |first=Donna M. |date=November 6, 2024 |title=Former Spirit CEO Ben Baldanza Dies at 62 |url=https://www.businesstravelnews.com/Transportation/Air/Former-Spirit-CEO-Ben-Baldanza-Dies-at-62 |access-date=November 7, 2024 |website=Business Travel News}}

In May 2023, Baldanza was awarded the Joseph S. Murphy Award for his service to the airline industry. This is an award that Air Transport World Magazine gives rarely.{{Cite web |date=May 17, 2023 |title=2023 ATW Joseph S. Murphy Service to Industry: Ben Baldanza |url=https://aviationweek.com/air-transport/airlines-lessors/2023-atw-joseph-s-murphy-service-industry-ben-baldanza |access-date=April 15, 2024 |website=Aviation Week Network}}

Baldanza was awarded the Wright Brothers Memorial Trophy in June 2024 and was scheduled to receive it at the 76th Annual Wright Memorial Dinner, planned to be hosted by the Aero Club of Washington in Washington, D.C. on December 13, 2024.{{Cite web |last=Griffith |first=Stephanie |date=June 19, 2024 |title=Ben Baldanza to be Honored with 2024 Wright Brothers Memorial Trophy |url=https://www.aeroclub.org/ben-baldanza-to-be-honored-with-2024-wright-brothers-memorial-trophy/ |access-date=November 7, 2024 |website=Aero Club of Washington}}