What Spirit Airlines ticket holders need to know

By Marnie Hunter, CNN

(CNN) — Thousands of Spirit Airlines passengers are facing a chaotic weekend as the budget carrier announced it’s halting all flights as of early Saturday after days of mounting shutdown concerns.

A proposed government bailout of the airline failed. The company was unable to emerge from its second bankruptcy.

In a short announcement posted by 2 a.m. ET on its restructuring website, Spirit said it started “an orderly wind-down” of operations, “effective immediately.” All flights have been cancelled, “and customer service is no longer available,” it added.

Spirit passengers have become stranded.

Before the official announcement, travel experts like Becky Blaine, managing editor of The Points Guy, advised Spirit’s frustrated customers to rebook on another airline “if you really have to travel.” And that’s exactly what Spirit advised after the fact.

Here’s what passengers need to know right now:

Will other airlines step in to help stranded passengers?

Yes, other US carriers told CNN they would support affected passengers.

Exact measures weren’t spelled out in every case, but American Airlines said it had “immediately implemented fare caps on Main Cabin tickets for Spirit routes where we also offer nonstop service.”

United, Allegiant and Frontier also said they would try to help affected passengers.

Southwest said Saturday it would offer special fares for Spirit customers on eligible routes through Wednesday, May 6. Flights will cost $200 for travel up to 500 miles, $300 up to 1,000 miles and $400 for longer flights.

To access the special fares, Spirit customers need to go to a Southwest ticket counter at their departure airport.

US Department of Transportation guidance about airline service cessations encourages travelers to check with other airlines “to see if they will accept your ticket, on a confirmed or standby basis, or will offer you a discount on a new ticket by waiving advance purchase requirements or other restrictions.”

Katy Nastro, a travel expert with Going.com, referred to those accommodations as “rescue fares” and said they may be limited. “Rebook with those carriers ASAP.”

Stranded passengers could face high costs to get where they’re going.

Last-minute “walk-up” fares are the most expensive in the industry, and Spirit said it wouldn’t reimburse customers for incidental travel costs associated with cancelled trips – but insurers might cover the cost for customers who purchased travel insurance.

If an airline stops operating, can I get my money back?

Maybe. It depends on how you paid for your flight.

The airline said it will “automatically process refunds for any flights purchased through Spirit with a credit or debit card to the original form of payment.” For customers who booked via a travel agent, Spirit said they should contact the travel agent directly to request a refund. The prospect is different for those who purchased flights using any other methods, including a voucher, credit or Free Spirit points, as their claims “will be determined at a later date through the bankruptcy court process.”

That could mean some travelers are out of luck.

“In these cases, travelers aren’t left with many options to get their money back,” Nastro said on Friday of airlines ceasing service.

“Technically your right to a refund stands, yet if no airline exists to pay out for the cancellation, travelers usually are the end of the line to see any money,” Nastro said.

The DOT’s guidance indicates that travelers who made credit card purchases have the most options for recouping their money if the airline fails to issue a refund directly.

“Even if the airline has ceased flying, you may be able to obtain a refund through the credit card company you used to purchase the ticket or from your travel insurance company,” the DOT says, adding some guidance about how to go about seeking refunds through those channels. Do it quickly: You generally have 60 days on credit card charges, although sometimes that limit is waived for future transportation, the DOT notes.

That lines up with Nastro’s advice.

She said Friday that credit cards can be the only way to see a refund — through the Fair Credit Billing Act.

“Don’t cancel anything as you need proof of having had ‘services not rendered,’” Nastro warned. Wait for Spirit to cancel, otherwise passengers may lose what little recourse they have, she said.

Blaine added that travel insurance coverage is iffy. “If you book with a credit card, the bankruptcy of an airline is specifically not covered under the travel insurance policy by your credit card,” she said. “If you have additional travel insurance, you can check that; it might be covered.”

Spirit had the same advice: “If you purchased travel insurance, check with your carrier to see if these expenses may be covered under your plan.”

CNN’s Chris Isidore, Aaron Cooper, Alexandra Skores and Ruben Correa contributed to this report.

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