Spirit Airlines shuts down, rivals offer relief to stranded passengers

Spirit Airlines has ceased operations, stranding passengers across the country and prompting major U.S. carriers to announce fare reductions and rebooking programs, ABC7 Los Angeles reported Friday.

The collapse ends the run of one of the nation's most prominent ultra-low-cost carriers, leaving travelers to navigate a patchwork of refund options — some automatic, others requiring immediate personal action.

Spirit Airlines conducted an orderly wind-down of operations, according to ABC7 Los Angeles. Passengers who booked directly with the airline using a credit or debit card are eligible for automatic refunds. Those who booked through travel agents must seek refunds through those third parties, while vouchers, credits and frequent flyer points will be handled through the airline's bankruptcy process.

Several major carriers — including American Airlines, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, JetBlue, Frontier Airlines, Southwest Airlines and Allegiant — are offering discounted fares and added capacity on routes that overlapped with Spirit's network, ABC7 reported. American and United said they are adjusting fleet size and adding flights on those routes.

Southwest Airlines is honoring Spirit's Silver and Gold status members through its A-List program. The carrier's in-person relief option is available only through May 6 at airport ticket counters, the report said. United Airlines is allowing stranded passengers to book replacement flights online for up to two weeks.

"Spirit Airlines played an important role in expanding access to affordable travel and bringing more low fares to more people. We recognize this is a difficult time for their customers and team members," Bobby Schroeter, chief commercial officer at Frontier Airlines, said, according to ABC7 Los Angeles.

Credit card holders may request chargebacks under the Fair Credit Billing Act, and travel insurance policies may cover airline insolvency or cessation of service, the report noted. John Breyault, vice president of public policy, telecommunications and fraud at the National Consumers League, cautioned passengers against waiting. "Not all Spirit customers should assume a refund will automatically appear. When an airline shuts down this suddenly, it's up to travelers to take proactive steps to have the best chance of getting their money back," Breyault said, according to ABC7 Los Angeles.

Airlines for America and the U.S. Department of Transportation were among entities cited in connection with the broader industry response to Spirit's closure, according to the ABC7 Los Angeles report.