Spirit Airlines Shuts Down All Operations
- Spirit Airlines has shut down after over 30 years, canceling all flights.
- Customers can seek refunds through credit card chargebacks or travel insurance claims.
- Other airlines are offering capped rebooking fares and discounts to help affected passengers.
According to Yahoo.com, Spirit Airlines has ceased operations Saturday after more than three decades, canceling all flights. Major U.S. airlines are offering capped rebooking fares for affected ticketholders. Spirit Airlines ceased operations May 2nd, canceling all flights and capping more than three decades of ultra-low-cost service. Ticketholders are being told not to travel to the airport. Here’s what travelers and former Spirit employees should know. Spirit said in a statement on its website that it began “an orderly wind-down” of operations on May 2, effective immediately. All flights are canceled and customer service is no longer available. The airline is directing guests to a refund-status page run by claims agent Epiq, which routes ticketholders into the bankruptcy claims process.
Ticketholders with questions can also reach the claims agent at (855) 952-6606 (toll-free in the U.S. and Canada), (971) 715-2831 (international), or by email at SpiritAirlinesInfo@epiqglobal.com. The Department of Transportation, however, told passengers they have faster options to try first.
- Credit card chargeback. Passengers who paid with a credit card can request a “chargeback” from their issuer for services not rendered, an option protected under the Fair Credit Billing Act. This is typically the quickest path to a refund.
- Travel insurance. Travelers with policies should check whether their coverage includes “insolvency” or “service cessation.”
- Bankruptcy claim. Customers can also file a formal “proof of claim” with the bankruptcy court (the route Spirit’s site points to). The DOT noted the process can take time and may only result in a partial refund.
What about Free Spirit miles and credits?
Passengers holding Spirit loyalty points, vouchers or unused flight credits will likely be treated as unsecured creditors in the bankruptcy process—meaning those balances may not be recoverable in full, if at all. Travelers should still file a proof of claim through the bankruptcy court to preserve any rights.
Other airlines stepping in In coordination with the DOT, American, United, Delta, JetBlue, Southwest, Allegiant, Frontier, Avelo and Breeze have all agreed to help affected passengers, the department said.
United, Delta, JetBlue and Southwest are offering capped rebooking fares for Spirit customers who can show a confirmation number and proof of payment. The windows for those caps vary by carrier—JetBlue and Southwest at 72 hours, Delta at five days, United up to two weeks online—so passengers should check each airline’s site.
American and Delta are offering reduced fares on routes Spirit previously served. Allegiant said it would freeze prices on overlapping routes. Frontier is offering up to 50% off base fares across its network through May 10.
A full breakdown of carrier-by-carrier offers is available on the Airlines for America website.
