Spirit Airlines Ceases Operations, Leaving Passengers to Rebook Flights

Sun, 03 May 2026 07:52:00 +0200

Low-cost Spirit Airlines announced it would immediately shut down operations after 34 years, affecting thousands of passengers and 17,000 employees. Despite discussions with the Trump administration about a $500 million rescue package, no deal was reached, partly due to lack of support from bondholders and government stakeholders. The airline canceled all flights and customer service has been suspended. Refunds will be issued automatically for those who booked with credit or debit cards, while travel agent bookings must be handled through the agent. Other airlines, including United, Delta, JetBlue, Southwest, Allegiant, and Frontier, are offering reduced or capped fares to help Spirit customers rebook flights. The airline’s pilots and flight attendants will have travel expenses covered as they return to their home bases. Spirit had faced financial struggles since the COVID-19 pandemic, with rising costs, growing debt, and two bankruptcy filings between 2024 and 2025. The collapse could