• Home
  • Reviews
    • Flight Reviews
    • Hotel Reviews
    • Lounge Reviews
    • Trip Reports
  • About
    • Press
  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Award Expert
Live and Let's Fly
  • Home
  • Reviews
    • Flight Reviews
    • Hotel Reviews
    • Lounge Reviews
    • Trip Reports
  • About
    • Press
  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Award Expert
Home » Spirit » Operational Meltdown Continues At Spirit Airlines
Spirit

Operational Meltdown Continues At Spirit Airlines

Matthew Klint Posted onAugust 4, 2021November 14, 2023 9 Comments

a group of people at an airport check in counters

As the week progresses, Spirit Airlines continues to cancel and delay flights. Yesterday, Spirit Airlines cancelled a whopping 61% of its flight. Today is unlikely to be better and potentially even worse.

Spirit Airlines Cancellations + Flight Delays Continue

On Monday, I wrote about the operational meltdown (I phrased it as a collapse, which some thought was inappropriate, but I stand by that language) Spirit experienced after a nasty storm system swept through the Southeastern United States.

That meltdown continues. From FlightAware:

  • August 1, 2021 – Spirit canceled 165 flights (19% of its schedule) and delayed 341 flights (40%)
  • August 2, 2021 – Spirit canceled 334 flights (42%) and delayed 227 flights (28%)
  • August 3, 2021 – Spirit canceled 429 flights (61%) and delayed 127 flights (18%)

That continues today, where Spirit Airlines has already cancelled 45% of its flights and it is only 5:00am ET.

  • August 4, 2021 – Spirit canceled 303 flights (45%) and delayed 6 flights (0.1%)

Expect the number of delays and cancellations to grow significantly during the day.

The reason for the delays remain storm systems in the U.S. Southeast and staffing issues. The staffing issues represent a domino effect of delays and cancellations plus a schedule that was too ambitious in the first place.

It did not help that staff members were (allegedly) told to remove their uniforms and hide from passengers after rioting broke out in Puerto Rico after a string of cancellations.

What To Do If Your Spirit Airlines Flight Is Delayed Or Cancelled?

Here’s the sad reality: there is no perfect solution–or even a reasonable solution–when your Spirit Airlines flight is delayed or cancelled.

As long as so-called “optional” fees (is bringing a carry-on really optional for all but the day traveler?) are disclosed, I have no problem with the business model. Indeed, when things go right on Spirit Airlines, you can potentially save hundreds of dollars compared to traveling on legacy airline.

But as a stand-alone carrier with no partnerships or interline agreements, you’re screwed when something goes wrong. Unless you are willing to pony up for another ticket on another airline, you are stuck and at the mercy of Spirit Airlines.

As passengers have found out over the last few days, that means some must wait days to travel and that many have had vacations or business trips ruined.

Using a credit card that provides travel insurance can help, though the process of claiming compensation can be burdensome.

If your flight is delayed or cancelled, reach out to Spirit in several ways. First, join the queue for a web chat, which seems to be the quickest way to reach the airline. Second, call in simultaneously and join the queue. Having a back-up option cannot hurt.

If you find yourself at an airport and wish to deal with an agent, check how bad the lines are. If 200 people are waiting to speak to one agent, considering leaving the secure area and returning to the ticket counters, where you may experience shorter lines.

Just understand that this is a huge risk of doing business with Spirit Airlines.

CONCLUSION

It’s a tough week to fly Spirit Airlines. In hindsight, the budget carrier was far too aggressive in its schedule and could not handle a few bad storms, which have crippled the airline for three days. Broadly speaking, your options are quite limited if you have booked on Spirit and your flight is delayed or cancelled. The best you can hope for is a seat on the next available flight.

image: Spirit Airlines ticket counter at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)

Get Daily Updates

Join our mailing list for a daily summary of posts! We never sell your info.

You have Successfully Subscribed!

Previous Article Kidnapped Belarusian Sprinter Departs Tokyo On Austrian Airlines
Next Article Broken, Reclined Seat Leads To Huge Fight On American Airlines

About Author

Matthew Klint

Matthew is an avid traveler who calls Los Angeles home. Each year he travels more than 200,000 miles by air and has visited more than 135 countries. Working both in the aviation industry and as a travel consultant, Matthew has been featured in major media outlets around the world and uses his Live and Let's Fly blog to share the latest news in the airline industry, commentary on frequent flyer programs, and detailed reports of his worldwide travel.

Related Posts

  • Spirit Airlines Financial Results

    Spirit Airlines Reports Bleak 2024 Financial Results

    March 7, 2025
  • Passenger Attacks Spirit Airlines Orlando

    “Take Me To Jail!” Spirit Airlines Passenger Attacks Gate Agents And Police Officers In Florida After She Was Denied Boarding

    March 3, 2025
  • will spirit airlines survive

    Spirit Airlines To Exit Bankruptcy, Disappoints Investors

    February 23, 2025

9 Comments

  1. Joe Chivas Reply
    August 4, 2021 at 10:48 am

    Airline schedules, just like a pair of pants, should always have a little extra slack.

  2. stogieguy7 Reply
    August 4, 2021 at 11:47 am

    They keep blaming weather, but there haven’t been any big regional weather issues in a few days now. Yes, DFW had some problems with storms a few days ago – but there’s absolutely nothing unusual about t-storms in the summer at DFW (hello AA?). So this blaming of “weather” is convenient – as it absolves them of having to give vouchers to anyone – but it’s also a crock of BS.

    It’s their own operational failures that led to this, not the weather.

  3. FlyerMoon Reply
    August 4, 2021 at 12:17 pm

    In other infinitely more interesting news, Hong Kong is finally opening up to Vaccinated Travellers.
    Anyone interested in the Hyatt Relocate long term stay at crazy rates??

  4. Jerry Reply
    August 4, 2021 at 1:11 pm

    i’m not sure if their regional international flights are being cancelled at the same rate, but it would be very frustrating to be trying to get back to the USA from Honduras (or elsewhere) and keep having your COVID test expire as the delays roll from day to day.

  5. Batchcaloupe Reply
    August 4, 2021 at 3:26 pm

    What I would like to know is with all these cancellations, how on earth will they be able to clear the backlog?? Are they hoping people on the canceled flights will just go away??

    • dstblj 52 Reply
      August 4, 2021 at 3:48 pm

      yep, thats generally what happens after a few days people just give up

  6. Mitch Cumstein Reply
    August 4, 2021 at 4:20 pm

    Where is Ben Baldanza when you need him??

  7. Dino Reply
    August 4, 2021 at 5:26 pm

    In going down to Puerto Rico in a couple of months for a big blowout sales meeting — with lots of partying and golf. Hopefully they get the problems corrected by then!

  8. Andrew-Stuart Reply
    August 6, 2021 at 4:08 am

    Here in Australia, people that fly infrequently fail to grasp the concept that a flight delayed from, say Brisbane to Sydney because of inclement weather, will have a “knock-on” effect for a later flight to Melbourne or even Perth. When you have several flights delayed or even cancelled altogether, the whole system goes into disarray and it can take anything from a few hours to a day or so, until the backlog is cleared. Yet every time this situation arises, the media jump onto it by showing stranded passengers in airports and by interviewing those who seem to be worst affected. No doubt, the same kind of scenario takes place in US airports.

Leave a Reply

Cancel reply

Search

Hot Deals for May

Note: Please see my Advertiser Disclosure

Capital One Venture X Business Card
Earn 150,000 Miles Sign Up Bonus
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Earn 100,000 Points
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Earn 75,000 Miles!
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Earn 75,000 Miles
Chase Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
Earn $750 Cash Back
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
Earn 120,000 Membership Reward® Points

Recent Posts

  • Delta Sky Club ATL B Review
    Review: Delta Sky Club Atlanta (ATL) – Concourse B (Now With Grab and Go) May 19, 2025
  • tail fins of airplanes in the sky
    Spirit, Southwest, JetBlue: Time to Rethink Perceptions May 18, 2025
  • Alaska-Hawaiian Merger DOT
    What Hawaiian Airlines AMEX Exit Means For Alaska MileagePlan May 18, 2025
  • Avelo ICE Billboard
    Avelo Airlines Sued By Aviation Blogger Turned Pol Over Billboards Attacking ICE Deportation Flights May 18, 2025

Categories

Popular Posts

  • a room with a table and benches
    Where To Smoke At Paris Charles De Gaulle Airport (CDG) April 26, 2025
  • United Airlines Polaris Lounge Chicago Review
    Review: United Polaris Lounge Chicago (ORD) May 1, 2025
  • United Airlines Refresh Polaris Lounge Chicago
    First Look: United Airlines Reopens Renovated Polaris Lounge In Chicago (ORD) April 29, 2025
  • a hand holding a blue card
    Chase Sapphire Preferred 100K Bonus Offer Ending Soon May 2, 2025

Archives

May 2025
M T W T F S S
 1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
262728293031  
« Apr    

As seen on:

facebook twitter instagram rss
Privacy Policy © Live and Let's Fly All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Live and Let's Fly with appropriate and specific directions to the original content.