Spirit Airlines shutting down after 34 years
Passengers were told to expect refunds, but the airline will not assist with rebooking on other carriers.
Spirit Airlines announced on Saturday that it is shutting down after 34 years in operation.
The ultra-low-cost carrier, which once ran hundreds of daily flights on its signature yellow planes and employed roughly 17,000 people, said it has begun an “orderly wind-down” of operations, effective immediately.
According to a notice on the company's website, all flights have been canceled and customer service has been discontinued.
“We are proud of the impact of our ultra-low-cost model on the industry over the last 34 years and had hoped to serve our guests for many years to come,” the company said in a statement.
Passengers were told to expect refunds, but the airline will not assist with rebooking on other carriers.
The Trump administration had explored the possibility of a bailout to keep the struggling airline afloat, but no agreement was ultimately reached.
JetBlue and Spirit had planned a $3.8 billion merger during the Biden administration but a federal judge blocked the move. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., was an outspoken critic of the merger at the time.