Spirit Airlines shuts down after 34 years

Spirit Airlines announced Sunday it has largely completed refunding passengers and returning crew after abruptly shutting down operations early Saturday morning after 34 years in business, leaving thousands of travelers scrambling to rebook and stranding workers across the country. The low-cost carrier, which operated hundreds of daily flights across the United States and employed 17,000 people, had been in discussions with the Trump administration about a $500 million rescue package, but no deal was reached as efforts stalled because Spirit could not secure necessary backing from bondholders and government stakeholders, according to people familiar with the matter. Most card refunds were processed by Saturday evening with a small percentage still pending, while approximately 1,500 crew members were rebased to their home locations. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy held a press conference at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey shortly after the announcement, advising passengers not to show up at airports as no staff would be present to assist them, while reassuring travelers that their ticket funds held in reserve by Spirit Airlines would be returned. Other major airlines, including American Airlines, offered discounted rescue fares for stranded travelers and flew stranded Spirit crew members home free of charge. The company stated in its announcement that it was proud of the impact its ultra-low-cost model had on the industry over the past three decades.