Bernice King is making one thing clear: when a company goes under, the human cost should never get lost in the business headlines.

After Spirit Airlines abruptly shut down over the weekend, leaving approximately 17,000 workers facing the loss of income, benefits, and stability, King took to Instagram to speak directly to the people impacted.

“There has been a lot of coverage about Spirit Airlines closing abruptly, flights being canceled, passengers being stranded, and travel plans being disrupted,” King wrote. “Those things matter. But for many passengers, the inconvenience will be temporary.” She then drew a harder line around the workers left behind, adding, “What we cannot move past are the approximately 17,000 workers who are now facing the loss of income, benefits, stability, and the ability to provide for themselves and their families.” 

King also reminded followers that layoffs are never just a corporate statistic. “Behind every corporate headline are human beings. Parents. Caregivers. Workers who gave years of their lives. People now asking, ‘What do I do now?’” she wrote, before closing with a prayer for “the Spirit employees, contractors, and families navigating this painful uncertainty.” 

Spirit itself confirmed that it had begun winding down operations immediately and canceled all flights as part of the closure. The airline, which had been in business for nearly 34 years, blamed financial hardship and rising fuel costs tied in part to global conflict for its collapse.