Spirit Airlines is scheduled to close. What travelers need to know

Spirit Airlines shut down overnight. The airline was unable to secure a financial lifeline to continue operating, ending the era of the low-cost air travel pioneer taking to the skies and costing the market about 17,000 jobs and thousands of cheap tickets.

As of Saturday morning, the website said “Spirit is winding down all operations,” replacing a reservations homepage that had been up for less than 24 hours.

No wonder travelers with Spirit tickets are upset. Although some U.S. airlines have closed in recent years, the low-cost carrier is larger than recent airline failures, connecting major cities such as New York, Miami, Detroit and Los Angeles with many other destinations, including Latin American and Caribbean destinations in between, with Airbus jets.

Here’s what travelers need to know:

Spirit said it will automatically refund tickets purchased through the airline to credit or debit cards.

Travelers who booked through a travel agent must request a refund from their travel agent. Spirit said that if loyalty points, vouchers or credits were used, refunds “will be determined at a later date through the bankruptcy process.”

However, Henry Harteveldt, founder of travel consulting firm Atmosphere Research Group, said it was highly unlikely that he would receive any compensation for his loyalty points bookings.

Spirit told customers not to go to the airport.

With thousands of Spirit employees out of work, there are no customer service representatives to support them. That could leave passengers with fewer answers than they would like, but other airlines have said they will cap fares for customers.

Airlines offering last-minute fares will likely have some sort of discount available to travelers at the airport ticket counter or other channels.

united airlines, jet blue airlines, frontier airlines and american airlines Some airlines have said they stand ready to assist Spirit customers and crew, just as they would during a hurricane or other natural disaster.

JetBlue announced that affected travelers will be capped at $99 for one-way tickets through May 6. Travelers must provide proof of their Spirit itinerary and call 1-800-JETBLUE. Additionally, for new purchases between May 1 and May 8, Spirit will cap the fare between Fort Lauderdale and San Juan, Puerto Rico at $299.

“With our extensive operations in Fort Lauderdale and San Juan, we are uniquely positioned to help Spirit customers get to their destinations and offer affordable flights even as demand increases,” said JetBlue CEO Joanna Geraghty.

southwest airlines caps domestic flight fares at $200 one-way for trips up to 500 miles, $300 for trips up to 1,000 miles, and $400 for trips over 1,000 miles. Fares can be purchased at the Southwest Airlines ticket counter. The company also honors perks like Spirit frequent flyer status and early boarding on Southwest Airlines.

american airlines, frontier airlines and united airlines It also said it was capping fares for affected customers. Airlines across the board are supporting the return of their crew members.

Spirit, known for its bright yellow planes and low fares and fees, has enjoyed years of success, but this week it was on the brink of liquidation after failing to reach an agreement with bondholders for a $500 million government bailout from the Trump administration.

Spirit filed for bankruptcy for the second time in less than a year last year, but it has had a number of problems even before that.

JetBlue’s takeover plan was thwarted. Rising costs have completely changed the business model. Dozens of planes were grounded due to engine defects. And more broadly, luxury travel has become more popular with consumers, boosting airline profits.

At the same time, major traditional airlines were selling their own basic economy fares similar to those offered by Spirit, but with larger networks and perks like free Wi-Fi, meals, and wider seating options and lounges.

Experts said they expected fares to rise in at least some markets once the discount service is scrapped, even though airlines have cut back significantly in recent months.

Since Spirit filed for bankruptcy last year, airlines have continued to increase flights on some routes and major airports. They intend to accelerate it further.

JetBlue announced it will operate its largest-ever flight out of Fort Lauderdale this summer, with 130 scheduled daily departures. This is a 75% increase from last year.

It plans to add service to airports from Barranquilla and Cali, Colombia, Baltimore and Charlotte, North Carolina, as well as Detroit, Chicago and Houston.