Spirit Airlines has gone out of business and is asking its customers not to go to the airport seeking their help.
Smiley N. Pool/Staff Photographer
U.S. airlines are rushing to help thousands of travelers who may be stranded after infamous budget carrier Spirit Airlines ceased operations after almost 34 years.
The budget airline, known for its bright yellow aircraft and bare bones fares, had been working through its second bankruptcy as losses mounted. In recent days it had made a desperate plea to the Trump administration for a bailout, but talks fell apart.
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Early Saturday morning, Spirit’s last flight NK1833 landed at DFW International Airport from Detroit, marking the end of the era for budget airlines. “For more than 30 years, Spirit Airlines has played a pioneering role in making travel more accessible and brining people together while driving affordability across the industry,” Dave Davis, Spirit’s president and CEO, said in a statement.
“Sustaining the business required hundreds of millions of additional dollars of liquidity that Spirit simply does not have and could not procure. This is tremendously disappointing and not the outcome any of us wanted.”
Florida-based Spirit’s shuttering means that DFW Airport suddenly loses more than 4,000 flights that Spirit was scheduled to operate through November. The airline had offered direct flights to global travel hubs like Chicago, Los Angeles and New York, while also offering direct flights to vacation destinations like Cancun.
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Spirit’s end also affects its Texas workforce and would mean a loss of jobs in North Texas, where Spirit operates one of its several crew bases. Last year, Spirit furloughed more than 200 of its Texas flight attendants, including more than 50 at DFW Airport.
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Travelers who were relying on Spirit should be prepared to find alternative options. The airline is telling its customers not to go to the airport seeking their help. Other airlines, however, have stepped up with rescue fares. Here is what you need to know.
Will Spirit customers receive refunds?
Yes, Spirit will automatically issue refunds for any flights purchased through the airline with a credit or debit card, the airline said. The refund will be sent to the original form of payment.
Customers who booked flights through a travel agent should contact that agent directly and request a refund. Compensation for customers who purchased flights through other payment methods, such as voucher, credit or Free Spirit points, will be determined through the bankruptcy process, the airline said.
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How are competitor airlines helping?
Many U.S. airlines are stepping in to offer rescue fares for affected Spirit customers. Here are the details you should know, sorted by airline:
The Dallas-based airline is offering special fares on routes where it overlapped with Spirit. The fares may only be accessed by customers holding Spirit reservations at their departure airport’s Southwest ticket counters through 11:59 p.m. on May 6.
The special fares are determined by ticketed mileage. Itineraries for a flight 1-500 miles is $200; 501-1,000 miles is $300; and 1,000 miles and more is $400.
The airline is also offering discounted rates for international flights. Spirit customers who had silver or gold status can transfer into Southwest’s A-list status using the status match program.
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The Fort Worth-based carrier is offering rescue fares on nonstop routes that overlapped with Spirit’s service, the airline announced. While it didn’t provide specifics, the airline said tickets could be booked directly on the airline’s app or aa.com.
Delta, United, Frontier, JetBlue and Allegiant are also offering rescue fares.
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What happens to those who have booked future flights?
Other than refunds, Spirit will not be able to help those customers. It cannot help rebook flights on other airlines, according to its website.
What if you’re stranded? Will Spirit pay for emergency hotel stays and meals?
The airline will not pay for “for incidental travel costs associated with cancelled trips,” the Spirit website says. If travel insurance was purchased, the site suggests checking with the provider to determine whether those costs are covered.
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Who will fill Spirit’s capacity void at DFW Airport?
This remains to be seen. When reached for more information, DFW Airport said Spirit’s two gates at the airport will be reassigned according to the airport’s lease policy at a future date.
At the airport’s Terminal E, the Spirit Airline checkpoint was deserted Saturday morning.
Two people sat in chairs along the windows waiting to be picked up from earlier flights. No one appeared distressed. Some walked by offering a passing glance at the check-in station and said “RIP Spirit.”
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On social media, one person expressed concern for Spirit workers who have lost their jobs.
“While Spirit Airlines was not my favorite, I feel sad for all the employees,” Faisal Akhtar wrote on Facebook.
An airport employee told passersby that he walked in for his morning shift and saw over a dozen armed officers who had expected more turmoil at the Spirit gate, but no customers came.
The sections near Frontier and JetBlue airlines had a maximum of 30 people, each passing through bag drop and meandering to security without trouble.
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Some Spirit customers expressed their frustration through Facebook and Instagram comments about getting no warning for Spirit’s cancellations.
“I had a flight in two weeks with Spirit,” Jazmin Moreno said in an Instagram comment. “No email, no call, no text to inform me that it’s canceled.”
“Now I have to wait for the refund for God knows when and pray we can find an affordable flight? This is beyond crazy,” Moreno said.
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She said everything has been a mess since she found out about the cancellations Saturday morning from a friend.
“I call numbers or go on websites to see if I can get more information about my refund, and I’m left with no answers every time,” Moreno told The Dallas Morning News.
She and her husband had planned to go on a nonrefundable cruise for their wedding anniversary. They’re now thinking they might have to make a 20-hour drive just to make it, Moreno said.
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She said with only two weeks until her flight, it’s going to be hard to find another option that doesn’t break the bank, which is the reason they chose Spirit Airlines.
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“Every other airline was charging twice as much since it’s during a major holiday, Memorial Day weekend,” Moreno said. “Now the last-minute flights are even more expensive than before.”
Staff writer Elissa Jorgensen contributed to this report.