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Spirit Airlines files for bankruptcy. Will this affect your Thanksgiving travel in California?

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Spirit Airlines files for bankruptcy. Will this affect your Thanksgiving travel in California?

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Spirit Airlines filed for bankruptcy protection Monday, but what does that mean for travelers departing from or headed to California for the holiday season?

The budget airline flies to several airports in California, including the Los Angeles International Airport, Oakland International Airport, San Diego International Airport, John Wayne Airport, Hollywood Burbank Airport, Sacramento International Airport and the San José Mineta International Airport.

Spirit Airlines said in a news release that it expects to continue operating its business as normal throughout the Chapter 11 process and that travelers can “book and fly without interruption” and use all tickets, credits and loyalty points as usual.

Robert W. Mann Jr., a former airline executive officer and current president of R. W. Mann and Co., an independent airline consultancy, told USA TODAY that while it’s unlikely that Thanksgiving travel will be affected as Spirit enters bankruptcy, it is possible there could be schedule changes and cancellations later in the winter.

Travelers who’ve already booked with Spirit should watch for any notifications from the airline about changes to their itinerary as their departure date approaches.

Why did Spirit Airlines file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy?

The Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection filing comes after the airline ended its $3.8 billion planned merger with JetBlue Airways in March after a federal judge blocked it. That’s coupled with more than $2.5 billion in losses since the start of 2020 and “looming debt payments” that are more than $1 billion in 2025 and 2026, the Associated Press reported. Spirit Airlines said it expects to emerge from the Chapter 11 process in the first quarter of 2025.

USA TODAY reporter Zach Wichter contributed to this article.

Paris Barraza is a trending reporter covering California news at The Desert Sun. Reach her at pbarraza@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @ParisBarraza.

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