ALLENTOWN, Pa. – Three days after Spirit Airlines suddenly shut down, a couple from the Lehigh Valley is still days away from flying home.

They’re among thousands of people across the country who found themselves stranded when the discount carrier ceased operations on Saturday.

Thousands of people are trying to get refunds across the country.

Jay Spiegel of Allentown paid $442 for two round trip tickets.

But he didn’t get the round trip.

Now, he and his girlfriend are stuck in Fort Lauderdale, and when people call Spirit, they get a recorded message.

“Spirit has announced a wind down of the business. All Spirit flights are canceled and guests are advised not to go to the airport,” says the Spirit phone number.

It was a perfect storm for a shutdown months in the making. Last August, Spirit filed its second bankruptcy in nine months. It’s survival plan assumed fuel prices of $2.24 a gallon, but when that price recently doubled, Spirit’s profit margins plummeted to negative 20 percent, forcing liquidation, and stranding Jay Spiegel and Heather Kimble, who were celebrating their 6-month anniversary in Fort Lauderdale.

“It seems all the other airlines are okay, so evidently (Spirit) didn’t prepare very well,” said Jay Spiegel of Allentown.

The couple knew something was wrong when the crew made its in-flight announcements.

“They didn’t have tea and coffee, and then they said they don’t have running water in the bathroom,” said Heather Kimble of Bath.

Three days later, out of cash, and out of time, Spirit Airlines folded.

“When they landed and they got us off the plane. They knew nobody was coming to pick us up. That’s my take,” said Spiegel.

The Spirit website still provides stranded travelers guidance for refunds and lost baggage. And the hotline reassures that refunds will be made.

“While we are not able to help rebook your flight on another airline, we will automatically issue refunds for any flights purchased through Sprit with a credit card or debit card to the original form of payment,” according to the Spirit phone number.

Meanwhile, Heather and Jay remain stunned and stranded in Florida. They feel like they won’t get their money back.

“Obviously, if you close your business and no one’s there to receive your email, your phone call, your text, whatever, you’re not going to get anything back. To tell you the truth, I really didn’t expect it,” said Spiegel.

The couple booked a return flight to get home to Pennsylvania on another carrier but won’t get back to Philadelphia until Thursday. They say the price of their trip doubled.

Attorney General Dave Sunday encourages stranded travelers to contact their credit card companies, or third-party booking sites, directly for refund options.