Spirit cancels more than half of its flights Wednesday as customers and staff remain stranded
This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit this page.
A series of cancellations continued to rock Spirit Airlines on Wednesday, the fourth day of travel chaos on the low cost carrier.
The airline canceled more than 415 flights as of 2:45 p.m. ET on Wednesday — nearly two-thirds of its scheduled flights for the day — according to data from FlightAware.
Want more airline-specific news? Sign up for TPG’s free new biweekly Aviation newsletter!
Spirit has been canceling flights since Sunday, stranding passengers and its own crewmembers across its entire network due to a combination of summer storms, staffing shortages, and IT issues.
The airline canceled more than 40% of its schedule Monday, and 61% on Tuesday, according to FlightAware.
On Monday, the airline said in a statement that it was making “proactive cancelations” to try and reset its operations following the disruptions.
On Wednesday, the airline said that it had implemented “a more thorough reboot of the network,” which would allow it “to reassign our crews more efficiently and restore the network faster. As a result, cancellation numbers will progressively drop in the days to come.”
“We’ve dealt with overlapping operational challenges including weather, system outages and staffing shortages that caused widespread irregularities in our operation and impacted crew scheduling,” the airline added in a statement. “These issues were exacerbated by the fact that we are in peak summer travel season with very high industry load factors and more limited options for Guest re-accommodations.”
More: What’s going on with all of those cancellations at American Airlines
The airline recommends that passengers check their flight details before heading to the airport, and says that the best way to contact customer support is through its online chat tool.
What can you do if your flight is canceled?
Flight cancellations can be inconvenient regardless of which carrier you fly, but on many routes, Spirit only has one flight a day — in some cases, even fewer than that. If you’re facing a cancellation, it can be especially difficult to get rebooked.
While American Airlines might be able to route you through another city or perhaps even add a larger aircraft to accommodate displaced flyers, that’s a bit tricky for Spirit to pull off, given the carrier’s far smaller fleet.
Related: What to do if your flight is delayed or canceled?
If you’re currently facing a Spirit Airlines cancellation and the airline can’t accommodate you for a few days, it might be time to consider alternatives — likely at your own expense.
Input your origin, destination and dates on Google Flights to price out the most convenient options and lowest fares. If you’re within driving distance of another airport, it could make sense to search for options from there as well.
This could also be a good time to tap your frequent flyer account and consider booking an award flight, especially if cash fares are prohibitively high.
Remember: If you have points with a transferrable program, like Amex Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards or Citi ThankYou, you can transfer them to a handful of frequent flyer programs, letting you give your account an instant boost. Transfer times vary, so be sure to confirm how long a transfer will take before you begin the process.
Related: A guide to earning transferable points and why they’re so valuable
Partner programs are also worth a look. You can use British Airways Avios to book award flights on American Airlines, for example, and points transfer instantly from American Express. You’ll just want to confirm availability before you send your points over.
Additional reporting by TPG’s Zach Honig.
Featured photo by by Alex Tai/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
Sign-up Successful!
Welcome to The Points Guy!
Earn 90,000 bonus miles and 10,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new card in the first three months of card membership. Offer ends 11/10/2021.
With Status Boost™, earn 10,000 Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $25,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, up to two times per year getting you closer to Medallion Status. Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels, 2X Miles at restaurants and at U.S. supermarkets and earn 1X Mile on all other eligible purchases. Terms Apply.
- Limited Time Offer: Earn 90,000 Bonus Miles and 10,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months. Offer expires 11/10/2021.
- Earn up to 20,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) with Status Boost® per year. After you spend $25,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, you can earn 10,000 MQMs two times per year, getting you closer to Medallion® Status. MQMs are used to determine Medallion® Status and are different than miles you earn toward flights.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels.
- Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery and at U.S. supermarkets.
- Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
- Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year upon renewal of your Card. *Payment of the government imposed taxes and fees of no more than $75 for roundtrip domestic flights (for itineraries with up to four flight segments) is required. Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
- Enjoy your first checked bag free on Delta flights.
- Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA Pre✓®.
- Enjoy an exclusive rate of $39 per person per visit to enter the Delta Sky Club® for you and up to two guests when traveling on a Delta flight.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- $250 Annual Fee.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees
Disclaimer: The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser’s responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.