Spirit Airlines is closing down. Thousands of employees and travelers are impacted.

ConsumerSpirit Airlines is closing down. Thousands of employees and travelers are impacted.Flights were canceled and Spirit's airport check-in desks sat empty Saturday morning, with little help on hand for travelers figuring out what to do next.Listen to this article with a free account00:0000:00 body:has(.jw-flag-floating) .article-hero__container, body:has(.jw-flag-floating) .article-hero__media-holder, body:has(.jw-flag-floating) #content { z-index: auto; } Add NBC News to GoogleSpirit Airlines announces all flights are canceled as it shuts down operations05:44Get more newsLiveonShareAdd NBC News to GoogleMay 2, 2026, 2:21 AM EDT / Updated May 2, 2026, 12:40 PM EDTBy Rob Wile, Jay Blackman, Yuliya Talmazan and Kathy ParkSpirit Airlines is shutting down with immediate effect in a move that will affect thousands of scheduled flights and nearly as many employees.Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.The troubled budget carrier canceled all flights and announced an “orderly wind-down” of operations early Saturday.“To our Guests: all flights have been cancelled, and customer service is no longer available,” the company said in a statement.Spirit, which has struggled to maintain consistent profitability since the Covid-19 pandemic, had been looking to emerge from its second bankruptcy in less than a year. But those plans were derailed amid soaring jet fuel costs sparked by the outbreak of the war with Iran.Spirit Airlines aircraft in Las Vegas last year. While it only ever carried a small slice of the flying public, Spirit's profitability was, at one point, among the top three of major U.S. airlines.Kevin Carter / Getty Images file“Despite the Company’s efforts, the recent material increase in oil prices and other pressures on the business have significantly impacted Spirit’s financial outlook,” the company’s statement said. “With no additional funding available to the company, Spirit had no choice...