The V.I. Tourism Department announced Saturday afternoon that it has launched a “Stranded Passenger Program” for travelers left in the lurch after Spirit Airlines announced a few hours after midnight that its customers should not go to the airport as it is winding down operations, effective immediately, after a White House rescue deal fell through.
Affected travelers should visit www.visitusvi.com/spirit-airlines-cancellations/ for information. They should also monitor Spirit communications for updates. In the U.S./Canada call 855-952-6606 and 971-715-2831 for international.
Spirit Airlines, which filed for bankruptcy protection in August, said in a statement on its website early Saturday that while it cannot rebook passengers on other airlines, it would “automatically process refunds for any flights purchased through Spirit with a credit or debit card to the original form of payment.” Guests who booked flights via a travel agent should contact the travel agent directly to request a refund, it said. Compensation for those who booked flights using any other methods, including a voucher, credit or Free Spirit points, will be determined later through the bankruptcy court process, it said.
The announcement comes after “extensive and comprehensive efforts to restructure the business,” including a proposal by President Donald Trump in recent weeks for the federal government to buy the beleaguered budget carrier. That plan fell through when key creditors reportedly opposed the deal, according to reports.
Until Saturday, the airline had routes connecting St. Thomas to Orlando and Fort Lauderdale, the latter of which also had flights to and from St. Croix.
Multiple media outlets reporting on Saturday’s announcement also cited the U.S. war against Iran as a contributing factor as it has led to soaring jet fuel prices, and said the decision has put some 17,000 workers out of a job, including 14,000 employees and thousands of contractors.
“We are proud of the impact of our ultra-low-cost model on the industry over the last 34 years and had hoped to serve our Guests for many years to come,” Spirit said in its statement that was posted at 2 a.m. Saturday.
Customers are directed to visit the website for more information on the wind-down process, and to contact Spirit’s claims agent, Epiq, by emailing SpiritAirlinesInfo@epiqglobal.com or calling (855) 952-6606 (for toll-free U.S. and Canada calls) or (971) 715-2831 (for international calls).
CNN reported that several U.S. carriers have said they would support affected passengers, including American Airlines, which the news outlet said had “immediately implemented fare caps on Main Cabin tickets for Spirit routes where we also offer nonstop service.” It said United, Allegiant and Frontier also said they would try to help affected passengers, and that Southwest said it would offer special fares for Spirit customers on eligible routes through Wednesday.
The U.S. Department of Transportation also has guidance for passengers on its website, including checking with other airlines to see if they will honor Spirit tickets, or offer a discount on a new ticket.
