South Florida passengers react to Spirit Airlines filing for bankruptcy
MIAMI - Spirit Airlines announced Monday it has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in a bid to restructure its mounting debt, a move the company described as "proactive."
Passengers at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport learned about the news through an email sent early Monday morning.
The airline assured travelers that flights and pricing would remain unaffected for the time being.
Kay Gowie, a Spirit passenger, said the email came with an apology from the company.
"They sent out an email and apologized. It won't affect flying, the flights, or the cost," Gowie said. "We'll see what the future holds for them."
Despite the uncertainty, Gowie expressed confidence in booking her upcoming holiday travel, noting she would still consider Spirit, depending on costs and schedules.
Spirit Airlines issued a statement explaining the bankruptcy as a strategic step to reduce its debt and maintain operations.
A tough year for Spirit Airlines
The airline has faced significant challenges recently, including the collapse of a proposed merger with JetBlue and the cancellation of numerous routes.
"The airline has struggled in recent months with setbacks like the failed JetBlue merger," said Zach Griff, senior reporter at The Points Guy. "They have continually cut tens of routes at a time."
Griff added that Spirit's fleet of approximately 200 aircraft may undergo changes as the airline evaluates its operations during the bankruptcy process.
"It'll be interesting to see whether it continues with its entire fleet after the bankruptcy or not," Griff said.
Mixed reactions from passengers
Some passengers remain cautiously optimistic, while others are uncertain about what the bankruptcy means for their future travel plans.
"Basically, that sucks. I don't know what's going on, but as long as I can get on the plane and go where I need to go, I'm cool with it, I guess," said David Kennair, a Spirit customer.
For now, Spirit Airlines passengers are monitoring developments closely, hoping the airline's restructuring will allow it to stabilize operations without affecting their travel plans.
