If you have booked a ticket for a flight aboard an airplane operated by Spirit Airlines, you may want to consider delaying your travel — or, at least, keep yourself updated as to the latest information — due to the airline experiencing “operational challenges”.
Travel Alert August 2 2021: Spirit Airlines Experiences “Operational Challenges”
The official Internet web site of Spirit Airlines greets visitors with the following message inside of a bright red box:
Travel Advisory: We are experiencing operational challenges in some areas of our network, please check your email and flight status before going to the airport.
Due to long lines at the airport, the fastest way for assistance is to click here and select “Let’s Chat”
Weather is reportedly the primary reason as to why Spirit Airlines canceled a minimum of 313 flights — or approximately 40 percent of its entire schedule — today alone, Monday, August 2, 2021; while at least 214 flights comprising of 27 percent of its entire schedule have been delayed; but a shortage of employees and other issues reportedly contributed to the chaos.
The problem is that when a flight is delayed or canceled, passengers are not simply booked to fly to their destinations via another airline, as Spirit Airlines has no interline agreements with any airline. This means that passengers could potentially wait in line for multiple hours and even be stranded for multiple days — unless they decide to pay out of their own pockets to fly with a different airline…
…which translates into some very angry passengers — many of whom vowed to never patronize Spirit Airlines again.
We are experiencing operational challenges in some areas of our network. Before going to the airport, check your email and current flight status here: https://t.co/yuPJDPxeNu. The fastest way to receive assistance is to visit our webchat: https://t.co/QnlZcUCMtk. pic.twitter.com/E176h8KHjN
— Spirit Airlines (@SpiritAirlines) August 2, 2021
Hard to see how #spiritairlines survives after this weekend. My boyfriend and I only got a small taste of the chaos in Orlando and Houston. I feel for the thousands of other passengers who are having a worse experience. pic.twitter.com/QKrOGsuULD
— Alicia Pryor (@PryorAlicia) August 2, 2021
Don’t fall for it I’ve literally waited in chat for 8hrs for assistance while waiting on hold too. No one home Spirit no one home. I’ll never fly you again.
— Hotmess43 (@nicoleszarkowsk) August 2, 2021
https://twitter.com/HeimTime88/status/1422278102525218824
Operational challenges is an understatement! One of your representatives HUNG UP on us while we were trying to get information on our flight that was canceled! Horrible customer service.
— allie coughlin. (@xoallliieee) August 2, 2021
The nerve of you all! My disabled mother and 6yr old daughter was stranded for hours at both FLL and TPA this weekend. the lies of being down 1 flight attendant on both trips was scandalous! This was absurd. Won’t be surprised if a class action follows.
— T.Kirkland (@__vivrantthang) August 2, 2021
https://twitter.com/love_ur_self130/status/1422119750193324035
Really? Visit web chat!!! Thanks for delaying my fight for over 2 hours. If the plane ever leaves it will arrive too late for me to get the car rental and I have to pay a taxi to go to the hotel because the airport shuttle stops running at midnight!!! pic.twitter.com/LK7eZ97BTr
— Q-DOG (@Quentinlathan) August 2, 2021
When #spiritairlines leaves you stranded in Puerto Rico with no employees in sight and holds your luggage and money hostage.
We were stuck overnight with no clothes or essentials for our 3 or 1 year olds and are still without answers and searching for flights #Spirit #useless pic.twitter.com/jzKqf9Yuhn
— Tito Arias (@2touchTito) August 2, 2021
Current update I have been stranded for 8 hours I have gotten a new flight AT A AIRPORT THAT IS 40 MILES AWAY WHILE I HAVE NO FORM OF TRANSPORTATION and THEY SAY I NEED TO WAIT ANOTHER 4 HOURS TO GET A HOTEL AND A TAXI SCHEDULED THIS IS ABSOLUTE BULLSHIT PLEASE SPREAD THIS!
— OrbitMan (@HaratianNiv) August 2, 2021
Reports have been circulating that riots have occurred have been reported in several airports and allegedly prompting the airline to instruct its employees to change out of uniform and hide behind locked doors — especially at the international airport which serves the greater San Juan metropolitan area in Puerto Rico — but those reports remain unconfirmed at the time this article was written.
Final Boarding Call
I initially wondered why this article called Pilots Strike at Spirit Airlines; All Flights Canceled for Today — which was originally posted at The Gate on Saturday, June 12, 2010 — was suddenly getting views today. Now I know the reason why.
Spirit Airlines may serve its purpose of transporting passengers from point A to point B when all goes well — after all, even the operations of major legacy airlines sometimes go awry, as American Airlines today reported at least 529 canceled flights and 874 delayed flights today alone…
…but when operations break down at Spirit Airlines or another ultra-low-cost carrier, customers unfortunately have few options on exactly what to do to resolve their inconveniences as soon as possible.
At the time this article was written, no specific details of compensation to passengers who were affected were publicly disseminated. Back in 2010, Spirit Airlines would only offer credit on future flights and no cash refunds. However — to lessen the sting of the pain — affected passengers were offered a Future Flight Credit worth $100.00 in addition to full credit on what was paid for the canceled flight…
…but as ~deciBelle posted on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/deciBelladonna/status/1422309909069275137
do NOT settle for that ridiculous “reservation credit” hostage situation! demand a full refund to whatever card you used as soon as you get someone on the phone. had to do it twice today #SpiritAirlinesNEVERAGAIN
Photograph ©2018 by Brian Cohen.
