Americans on a budget mourn loss of low-cost Spirit Airlines

By Laila Kearney

NEW YORK, May 2 (Reuters) - U.S. travelers lamented news of the shutdown of Spirit AirlinesFLYYQ.PK on Saturday, saying that the closure of the ultra-low-cost carrier eliminates one of the few air travel options for low-income and working-class Americans.

Spirit abruptly cancelled flights overnight, stranding passengers and staff around the U.S., Caribbean and Latin America, after collapsing under financial pressures that included a sharp rise in fuel costs due to the Iran war.

On social media platforms such as Reddit and X, where disgruntled passengers often vent their frustrations about delayed or cancelled flights, former Spirit patrons recounted how the airline had provided a lifeline to money-conscious travelers.

"They truly were one of the last cheap -- 'get me there as fast and cheap as possible' -- options," Reddit user AioliUpset7805 wrote on a thread about the airline's closure. "I'll miss them."

Spirit, which had operated commercially since the early 1990s, became known for providing some of the cheapest available flights in exchange for limited luxuries and services. Unlike most U.S. airlines, Florida-based Spirit charged for bottled water, for example, and did not provide reclining seats.

While that lack of amenities sometimes became the topic of online memes, many travelers said Spirit cleared the way for Americans on a budget to take family holidays or to visit loved ones living in far-flung parts of the country.

"I can only imagine how many millions of families (there are) out there where vacations are now out of reach," Reddit user BigBubby305 said, adding that the price difference between Spirit and carriers like Delta and American Airlines was, at times, more than $1,000 for a set of tickets for their family.

OTHER AIRLINES SEEK TO FILL GAP

At the Orlando International Airport overnight, a digital departure display sign was filled with bright red notifications of cancelled Spirit flights that had destinations everywhere from Nashville to San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Following Spirit's halting of operations, multiple U.S. carriers -- including Frontier ULCC.O, JetBlue JBLU.O and Southwest LUV.N -- introduced discount fares and plans for new summer routes. Airlines like Delta DAL.N and American Airlines AAL.O were also offering temporarily lower fares to Spirit passengers.

Spirit's closure comes at a time of rising prices across the American economy, which have been made worse by the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran.

The demise of Spirit, which according to data from aviation analytics firm Cirium had more than 4,000 domestic flights scheduled through May 15, and a recent doubling of jet fuel prices, are expected to heap more costs on American travelers.

"I always took great pride in knowing we were saving people money and allowing those to travel who couldn’t afford to otherwise," wrote Reddit user Coryntrevors, who said they piloted Spirit's signature bright yellow Airbuses out of Las Vegas for over a decade.

"To shut down forever tonight has been one of the saddest experiences of my life."