The carriers that used to compete with Spirit Airlines are swooping in to assist stranded passengers after the company folded overnight while failing to reach a bailout deal with the feds.
US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced a series of measures Saturday to help Spirit customers left in the lurch, allowing them to rebook tickets with select other airlines at capped or reduced prices.
“We’ve activated our airline partners to ensure passengers are not stranded, communities maintain route access, fares do not skyrocket, and Spirit’s workforce is connected to new job opportunities,” Duffy said.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced on Saturday that there are new actions to help Spirit Airlines customers hours after the company said it was shutting down following its failure to secure a $500 million bailout from the Trump administration. CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty ImagesSpirit ticketholders can provide proof of purchase to qualify for special prices aboard JetBlue, Southwest, Delta, and United. The carriers are making the prices available for various time periods.
JetBlue’s offer lasts for 72 hours. Southwest’s lasts for 72 hours but must be handled in person at an airport counter, while Delta’s offer lasts five days and United’s lasts for two weeks.
Allegiant Airlines, which covers many regional airports, says it will freeze prices on routes that overlap with Spirit, and is offering 50% off base fares through May 10th.
Carriers are offering “spare jump seats” to Spirit pilots and flight attendants who are stuck away from home.
Duffy hammered the Biden administration for blocking a merger between Spirit and JetBlue in 2024 – which would have saved the carrier. President Trump last month floated the idea that the US government could “just buy” the floundering airline. But Duffy argued against a potential $500 million rescue, saying, “What we don’t want to do is put good money after bad.”
The policies would allow stranded customers the chance to rebook tickets at aboard other carriers at capped prices. REUTERSSpirit’s president and CEO Dave Davis blamed the “sudden and sustained rise in fuel prices” for finally causing the shutdown.
“Everybody burning cash—we just had a smaller pile to start with,” he told the Wall Street Journal. “They’re not that far behind us in the race.”
The company told customers in a statement posted on X at 2:35 am Saturday that “while we are not able to help rebook your flight on another airline, we will automatically process refunds” for credit card purchases. “We are proud of the impact of our ultra-low-cost model on the industry for the last 33 years and had hoped to serve our Guests for many years to come.”
Spirit’s final flight was flight 1833 which travelled from Detroit to Dallas and landed early Saturday morning just after midnight, the company said.
The 34-year-old budget airline is the first US airline to fail for financial reasons in 25 years.
The company filed for bankruptcy for the second time in August, after earlier filing for chapter 11 the previous November.
The company is expected to sell its remaining aircraft and parts in the coming months.
It also has an 11-acre headquarters campus near the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport and other real estate that will be sold to pay off creditors.
