A Spirit Airlines pilot received a hero’s send-off with the help of a rival airline — and his first officer son — as his retirement flight was abruptly cut amid the carrier’s sudden shutdown. Capt. Jon Jackson was scheduled to fly one last time for Spirit into Baltimore-Washington International on Saturday when the ultra-low-cost airline ceased operations and went out of business in the dead of night. Jackson, left stranded by the permanent shutdown, hitched a ride with Southwest Airlines in Fort Lauderdale, riding alongside his son, Chris, who is a first officer, according to CNBC . Spirit Airlines Capt. Jon Jackson is greeted by staff and passengers at Baltimore-Washington International on May 2, 2026. Southwest/Instagram The doting son used his connections with his co-workers to develop a bittersweet send-off for his retiring father. “Chris casually mentioned to the flight’s Pilots that this would have been his dad’s retirement flight. They seized the opportunity to change the course of the day for Capt.…