Spirit Airlines shut down. Here’s what travelers need to know if they have tickets

Spirit Airlines shut down overnight. The carrier failed to secure a financial lifeline to continue operating, ending the discount air travel pioneer’s time in the sky, costing some 17,000 jobs and thousands of cheap flights in the market.

“Spirit is winding down all operations,” reads its website as of Saturday morning, replacing the functioning booking homepage that was up for less than 24 hours.

Travelers with Spirit tickets could be understandably rattled. While there have been some U.S. airlines that have shut down in recent years, the budget carrier is larger than most recent airline failures and links major cities like New York, Miami, Detroit, and Los Angeles — and many others in between, including destinations throughout Latin America and the Caribbean — with its Airbus jets.

Here’s what travelers need to know:

Spirit said it will automatically refund tickets purchased through the airline with a credit or debit card.

Travelers who booked through a travel agency need to request a refund from the agency. Spirit said that if they used loyalty points, a voucher, or a credit, reimbursement “will be determined at a later date through the bankruptcy process.”

Henry Harteveldt, founder of Atmosphere Research Group, a travel consulting firm, said, however, that the odds of receiving compensation for loyalty point reservations are slim to none.

Spirit told customers not to go to the airport.

Spirit’s thousands of employees have lost their jobs, so there won’t be customer service agents to assist them. That could leave passengers with fewer answers than they’d like, but other airlines are saying they will cap fares for customers.

Airlines that offer last-minute fares, likely with some discounts, will be available to travelers at airport ticket counters or other channels.

United Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Frontier Airlines and American Airlines are among the carriers that have said they are ready to assist Spirit customers and crews, similar to what they do during a hurricane or other natural disaster.

JetBlue said it will cap fares for affected travelers at $99 for one-way tickets through May 6. Travelers will have to show proof of a Spirit itinerary and call 1-800-JETBLUE. It will also cap fares between Fort Lauderdale and San Juan, Puerto Rico, for new purchases made May 1 through May 8 at $299, a route Spirit flew.

“With major operations in Fort Lauderdale and San Juan, we’re in a unique position to help Spirit customers get where they need to go and ensure flights remain affordable despite greater demand,” said JetBlue CEO Joanna Geraghty.

Southwest Airlines is capping domestic fares at $200 for one-way trips of up to 500 miles, at $300 for up to 1,000-mile trips, and more than 1,000-mile trips at $400. Fares are available at Southwest’s ticket counters. The airline is also honoring Spirit frequent-flyer statuses and benefits on Southwest, such as early boarding.

American Airlines, Frontier Airlines and United Airlines also said they are capping fares for affected customers. Carriers across the board are assisting flight crews in getting home.

Spirit, known for bright yellow planes, low fares and fees for everything else, had been successful for years, but this week it’s been on the brink of liquidation after failing to reach a deal with bondholders for a $500 million government bailout from the Trump administration.

Last year Spirit filed for its second bankruptcy in less than a year, though it’s had a host of problems even before then.

A plan to be acquired by JetBlue was blocked. Rising costs upended its business model. An engine defect grounded dozens of its planes. And, more broadly, upscale travel became more popular with consumers, driving airline profits.

At the same time, big, legacy airlines were selling their own basic economy fares that were similar to what Spirit was offering, but with bigger networks and more perks, like free wi-fi, food and more roomier seat options, as well as lounges.

Experts have said they expect fares to rise, at least in some markets, if the discounter goes away, even though the carrier has shrunk substantially in recent months.

Airlines have been adding flights since Spirit’s bankruptcy filing last year on some of its routes and at major airports. They’re going to ramp that up.

JetBlue said it will run its largest operation ever out of Fort Lauderdale this summer with 130 daily departures, which it said is 75% more than last year.

It’s planning to add service to the airport from Barranquilla and Cali in Colombia, Baltimore, Charlotte, North Carolina, as well as Detroit, Chicago, Houston, and others.