Spirit Airlines shuts down, cancels all flights. Which CA airports are affected?
After more than three decades in business, Spirit Airlines on Saturday canceled flights and ceased operations for the foreseeable future.
“It is with great disappointment that Spirit Airlines has started winding down its global operations, effective immediately,” the company wrote in a statement. “All flights have been cancelled, and customer service is no longer available.”
The airline said it will automatically refund flights purchased with a credit or debit card through the original payment method.
Spirit Airlines ended flight service to Sacramento International Airport last October, according to previous Sacramento Bee reporting, in addition to destinations in the Bay Area and San Diego. Ahead of Saturday’s closure, Spirit Airlines provided flights to major airports in Los Angeles, Burbank and Orange County.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy announced a series of actions to respond to the airline ceasing operations.
“In a matter of hours, 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 wrote in a statement.
The U.S. Department of Transportation said there are capped prices specifically for Spirit customers with JetBlue, Southwest, Delta and United Airlines. There are also reduced fares for high-volume Spirit rates with select companies. More information is available on the federal agency’s website.
More than 2,000 pilots and thousands of other employees are impacted by the closure, according to the Air Line Pilots Association.
“The pain of this decision will not be felt in boardrooms,” association president Capt. Jason Ambrosi wrote in a statement. “It will be felt by pilots, flight attendants, mechanics, dispatchers, and ground crews, and by the families and communities that depend on them.”
The closure comes after Spirit Airlines filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in November 2024 due to debts and rising costs.
