Spirit Airlines had a rough week. Since the end of July, the airline has canceled more than 2,000 flights. Some of their problems included weather issues and staffing shortages. The good news is that the worst is over for the airline. Spirit Airlines stabilized recently and just canceled 16 flights on Tuesday.
$50 Voucher and an Apology
CEO Ted Christie issued an apology following the cancellations and the delays experienced by their passengers. On Tuesday, Spirit only canceled 2% of its scheduled flights. That’s a huge difference compared to last week’s cancellation where Spirit canceled more than half of their flights. Apart from the apology, the airline also gave a $50 voucher for affected passengers.
Christie said that “Did we fail our guests over that period of time? We absolutely did”. He added that “And we gotta fix that, and we gotta earn that back”. Christie said that “It starts with an apology, but what it really is: We’re going to earn the trust”.
Spirit Airlines Stabilized But Caught the Attention of the DOT
It has been reported that the recent incident caught the attention of DOT. The DOT has reportedly contacted the budget airline to “remind” them of federal laws that protect consumers. The department is reviewing Spirit’s next steps to address their passengers’ complaints.
Federal law mandates the airline to provide a replacement flight in case the airline cancels the flight. The passenger can also opt for a refund if he or she doesn’t accept the alternative. This is applicable even for non-refundable tickets.
According to the DOT’s website, “Whether you are entitled to a refund depends on a lot of factors—such as the length of the delay, length of the flight, and your particular circumstances”.
According to Spirit’s Director of Communications Erik Hofmeyer, passengers will be getting refunds. However, last Friday, some passengers posted on social media that they received vouchers but still didn’t get to receive full refunds.
