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Spirit Airlines has gone down, literally and figuratively, for the third time, following well-publicized financial struggles, and this time, it's not coming back.
According to CNN, Spirit cancelled all flights, leaving customers scrambling to make other arrangements.
For who flew to another city on Spirit, and are there now (and have no way home), the New York Times notes, “In the past, other airlines have sometimes stepped up and offered discounted “rescue fares” to customers, as several European carriers did when WowAir, an Icelandic carrier, ceased operations in 2019. Ask around and keep your eyes on the news.
Normally, if an airline cancels a flight, federal rules require it to give its passengers refunds. But once an airline in bankruptcy shuts down, that rule becomes mostly meaningless, because secured creditors — such as banks and other lenders — have priority over mere travelers like you and me.”
View From The Wing adds, “Airlines are already talking about how to assist Spirit Airlines passengers who may be stranded. American Airlines told employees this is under discussion. It may be standby only, and many flights will be full, but these options should become known quickly if Spirit shuts down.”
For those who have a ticket on Spirit for the future and who are worried about its validity, View From The Wing notes, “your best recourse is your credit card: If Spirit Airlines ceases flying, file a chargeback for any tickets you’ve purchased but not yet flown. Debit card protections are not as strong as with credit card, but either way talk to your bank. Spirit will not have provided the product they promised.”
What about my travel insurance? Unfortunately, notes Forbes, “most trip cancellation insurance included with select travel rewards credit cards doesn’t cover a carrier’s financial insolvency.”
Will Spirit pay for hotel rooms if someone is stranded? Nope. According to the Washington Post, "The airline said it would not be able to pay passengers back “for incidental travel costs associated with cancelled trips.” Spirit said in a post on social media that customer service “is no longer available.”
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