Why Is Spirit Airlines Canceling So Many Flights? – KIRO 7 News Seattle

This is Spirit Airlines’ summer melt.

First, blame the summer storms. Next, you blame “operational problems”. And that with a shortage of staff.

Why Spirits flights are being canceled

Spirit saw an opportunity to benefit from hundreds of flights as concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic subsided and travel demand increased. But the airline has not been able to hire enough staff to keep up. The result: cancellations – many of them.

And the situation is unlikely to be resolved in a few days. First, Spirit doesn’t offer all of its goals on a daily basis (in most cases only 2-4 times a week).

In addition, Spirit has no spare planes to move around the system to fill the gap days. This creates the ripple effect of cancellations across the system and the days that follow with oversold flights and thousands of customers stranded.

“We’re working around the clock to mitigate the travel disruptions caused by overlapping operational challenges such as weather, system outages and staff shortages in some areas of operations,” the airline said in a statement to USA Today.

“This is worse than I can remember it ever happened in the aviation industry. After that, it will be difficult to maintain their reputation, ”says money expert Clark Howard.

Flight canceled? Here are your options

So what should a Spirit Ticket holder do? If you’re already on your trip, check your email and current flight status under Spirit Status. According to the airline, the fastest way to get help is to visit a newly launched website: Contact.

Check if you deserve a refund

Travelers whose upcoming flights are canceled are required to receive a refund or credit in accordance with U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) regulations. When you receive a refund, it may take a few weeks to appear.

Consider changing airlines

If you need to meet your scheduled departure date and time and don’t want to mix it up on your travel day, consider buying a new ticket from a different airline.

Unfortunately, last minute trips are costly, but in most cases these higher priced tickets can be refunded. Be sure to refer to airline policies as some may require prior notice of cancellation in order to receive a refund (no no-shows).

Find out about your rights during a delay

If your flight is delayed, are you entitled to money or other compensation from the airline? No. There are no federal laws requiring airlines to pay passengers money or other compensation if their flights are delayed.

Each airline has its own policy on what to do with delayed passengers. If your flight is seriously delayed, ask the airline staff if you can get a voucher for meals or a hotel room. There’s no guarantee you’ll get anything, but it doesn’t hurt to ask.

What if your flight is significantly delayed: by several hours or even days? The USDOT did not specifically define “significant delay”. Whether or not you are eligible for a refund depends on many factors, including the length of the delay, the length of the flight, and your particular circumstances.

Also, there are no federal regulations requiring airlines to put you on another airline’s flight or give you a refund if you buy a ticket from another airline.

[ Here’s more information on cancellations and delays from the USDOT website. ]

Other travel resources from Clark.com:

[ This article was originally published on Clark.com ]

Why does Spirit Airlines cancel so many flights? first appeared on Clark Howard.