Spirit Airlines filed bankruptcy: How does it affect your travel plans?

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) – One of the country’s major low-cost airlines is filing for bankruptcy.

Spirit Airlines announced it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Monday.

The airline says it should not impact passengers and they can continue to use all tickets, credits and loyalty points as normal.

“Spirit has entered into an agreement with our bondholders that is expected to reduce our total debt, provide increased financial flexibility, position Spirit for long-term success and accelerate investments providing Guests with enhanced travel experiences and greater value,” the airline said in a statement.

Katy Nastro, a travel expert with Going, formerly Scott’s Cheap Flights, says if you’re already booked with Spirit this holiday season, there’s no reason to worry.

“What travelers will see in the near future is mostly business as usual,” Nastro told WBTV. “You know, there may be some cancellations and delays, but not due to bankruptcy circumstances.

She does say you may want to exercise caution when booking further in advance, because there are uncertainties with the airline’s situation further down the road.

“Long term, the shakeout to this bankruptcy could lead to things like routes being cut or reduction in service,” Nastro said. “There’s no knowing for sure that that ticket that you booked six months out from now may change, so for example, summer of 2025, this is a time period where we just don’t know. There’s too many uncertainties, so it might be in your best interest to look at another carrier for a specific trip you’re looking to take.”

Prior to this announcement, Spirit Airlines had already started cutting routes out of Charlotte.

In October the airline cut the Charlotte to Chicago route, and starting December 3rd the Charlotte to Houston route will be gone. By January 8th, Spirit will no longer fly Charlotte to Dallas-Fort Worth or Los Angeles.

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