Spirit Airlines ceased operations on the morning of May 2 after 34 years in business, leaving thousands of passengers with unused tickets unsure of what to do next.
A notice on the airline’s website advised customers not to go to the airport and instead check online for further instructions.
Spirit was the country’s seventh-largest airline, carrying about 50,000 passengers daily before its shutdown. The airline operated on an ultra-low-cost model, charging extra for services such as seat selection and even printed boarding passes. It had entered its second Chapter 11 bankruptcy in two years, and when fuel prices surged during the Iran War, its recovery plan became unsustainable.
Passengers who paid with a credit or debit card will receive refunds for everything they paid out for—their ticket, plus any pre-paid fees for baggage, seat assignments, or other add-on services. Passengers who booked via a travel agent should contact their travel agent for assistance. Because the tickets are being automatically refunded by Spirit, they’re not endorsable to other airlines for travel, and there are no Spirit staff available to assist passengers with rebooking.
Spirit noted that it has already processed the refunds, but it could take time to appear on statements.
For passengers who booked with travel credits, vouchers, or points in the airline’s Free Spirit frequent flier program will have to wait for a bankruptcy court decision on how those claims will be compensated. Passengers who booked with credit or debit cards that are no longer active would have to file separate claims through bankruptcy court to be handled at a later date.
Any remaining points in Free Spirit accounts technically become a claim in bankruptcy court, but it’s rare for members to receive compensation for points they haven’t used. Following the ATA Airlines and Aloha Airlines shutdowns in 2008, the accrued points in those airlines’ programs weren’t recovered.
At least one airline has offered a lifeline for passengers holding elite status in the Free Spirit program. Southwest Airlines is offering status match to members with Spirit Silver or Gold status in their own Rapid Rewards program.
Spirit is not offering refunds of membership fees for its Spirit Savers Club program.
Several airlines are offering limited-time fares to help accommodate passengers whose travel plans have been disrupted by Spirit’s closure.
Frontier Airlines is offering systemwide fare discounts for travel through Nov. 19 for passengers who book by May 10.
Southwest Airlines is making special fares ($200–$400, depending on distance) in overlapping routes. The fares must be booked in person at ticket counters by 11:59 p.m. CDT on May 6.
Delta Air Lines is offering reduced nonrefundable fares in markets where Spirit had service through May 7. Those fares are available to all passengers and can be booked on the Delta app or website.
Avianca is assissting passengers who already used the outbound portion of their ticket and need a return flight, subject to availability, through May 16. Passengers can go to an Avianca ticket counter at the airport the day before or day of their original return flight to be accommodated on a first-come, first-served basis without any additional fare collection, but they may need to pay applicable taxes or other fees. Spirit served six destinations in Colombia, in addition to others in Central and South America.
LATAM Airlines is offering similar terms as Avianca to customers who have taken their outbound flight for select routes in the Americas (New York (JFK), Miami, Orlando, Bogotá, Guayaquil, Quito, and Lima).
JetBlue is offering $99 rescue fares to passengers with proof of a Spirit itinerary through May 6 via its reservations hotline. The airline announced several new Fort Lauderdale flights to accommodate the long-term drop in seat capacity left by Spirit’s cessation of service.
American Airlines added rescue fares in 67 overlapping nonstop routes. American says it is also reviewing opportunities to add more seat capacity in affected markets to accommodate Spirit passengers.
Avelo Airlines is offering 75 percent off base fares in overlapping markets (with restrictions, like blackout dates on Memorial Day and the two-month period from mid-June to mid-August), plus membership matching for eligible Spirit Savers Club members.
