Watch a Spirit pilot's impromptu retirement celebration after airline shutters

A former Spirit pilot received an impromptu retirement celebration when the airline's sudden shutdown led to the cancellation of what would have been his final flight . Captain Jon Jackson ended up on a Southwest Airlines flight to return home to Baltimore International Airport. Video captured the warm welcome he received upon arrival — complete with a bottle of champagne and a cheering crowd. "This is very overwhelming," Jackson said, after the crowd encouraged him to give a speech. "I can't thank you all enough, As Spirit goes down, this is kind of a sad day, and you guys made it incredible. Thank you so much." Jackson had planned to take his retirement flight on a Spirit aircraft Saturday, marking the end of his career as a pilot for the airline, according to a statement from Southwest. But, when Spirit failed to secure a federal bailout and collapsed the same day, he boarded the Southwest flight to Baltimore with his son, a first officer for that airline. His son informed the Southwest pilots that the trip should have been his father's retirement flight, and the airline proceeded to arrange a spontaneous series of festivities to commemorate Jackson's service. "They seized the opportunity to change the course of the day for Capt. …