From September 27, 1999[12] to January 2005,[13] he served as the senior vice president of Marketing and International Operations for US Airways[14][5] while a troubling period during which the company filed for bankruptcy twice in as many years.

[20][21] During his tenure, Baldanza was "the public face of Spirit's transformation into a more extreme version of a discount airline."

[22][23] This included fees for the option to select a desired seat,[24] food and drink, carry-on and checked baggages.

[25] 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 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.

[41] He co-hosted a weekly podcast called Airlines Confidential with long-time The Wall Street Journal journalist Scott McCartney.

[45][46] Baldanza faced significant criticism stemming from transformation of Spirit Airlines into an ultra-low-cost carrier.

[6][47] 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.

[48] 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[49] and that Spirit Airlines would make a donation to a veteran's group.

[52] He served on Syracuse University's Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs Advisory Board.

[53] Baldanza acted as a treasurer for the American Youth Philharmonic Orchestras[54] and served on the Audit Committee for the International Trombone Association.

[16] He also lived in McLean, Virginia, San Salvador,[59] Fort Lauderdale, Florida[60] and the Washington metropolitan area.