It’s the end of an era for one of the most polarizing airlines in US history…
Spirit Airlines officially ceased operations on Saturday morning, leaving passengers stranded, airline counters empty, and 17,000 employees without work.
This is the first major carrier closure in 25 years since Midway Airlines did so back in 2001.
Spirit said they “will automatically process refunds for any flights purchased through Spirit with a credit or debit card to the original form of payment.”
You probably loved Spirit Airlines for its ultra-cheap fares, their famous Big Front Seat, or how it made other carriers keep lower prices (The “Spirit Effect” per say).
OR you never flew Spirit Airlines, could not stand all the fees, and typically chose a different airline to fly with.
Regardless, the budget airline going out of business is a negative change for consumers.
Spirit operated about 3% - 5% of the US domestic passenger market share.
They were the reason major carriers maintained competitive prices on certain frequent routes to Florida, Las Vegas, other US cities, Latin America, and the Caribbean.
Other airlines are stepping up right now to help stranded passengers with discounted flights.
BUT less competition in the long run means major airlines will likely be able to charge more on the exact routes Spirit was flying.
Existing smaller carriers and other budget airlines could fill the new "Spirit Gap" to help keep prices low...
For example, JetBlue already announced new cities and more non-stop flights to the same places that Spirit operated.
So a toast to Spirit Airlines tonight for a good run of 34 years! 🍾
Thank you for the cheap flights, unique experiences, and keeping the big airlines accountable - you will be missed!