Travelers flying on a budget should brace for disruption, as Spirit Airlines has recently canceled nearly 200 flights over Friday and Saturday. The airline pinpointed the need for comprehensive aircraft safety inspections as the root cause of these cancellations. Consequently, there could be significant delays affecting passengers for several days. By Saturday afternoon, the tally of canceled flights had reached 185, as per Flight ware’s data.
Spirit Airlines acknowledged the inconvenience caused and assured passengers that these measures were being taken with safety as the top priority. While the company refrained from divulging more details regarding the inspections, the Federal Aviation Administration classified them as “mandatory maintenance.”
This is not the first instance of significant disruption faced by Spirit Airlines’ customers in recent times. The airline had previously forecasted a dip in revenue due to engine issues grounding numerous jets, as reported by CNBC. However, a company representative clarified that the current delays are not connected to the engine problems experienced during the summer.
Moreover, Spirit Airlines recently closed a lengthy class action lawsuit regarding concealed baggage fees. The airline agreed to a settlement involving $8.25 million, covering legal costs and compensations for affected passengers.
Spirit Airlines Grounds Flights amid Unspecified Inspections
Spirit Airlines has warned that flight schedules could be disturbed for several days due to necessary inspections on a subset of 25 aircraft. According to flight tracking website Flight Aware, the low-cost carrier had already canceled 98 flights or 11% of its Friday schedule, and 81 flights or 9% of its Saturday schedule by 2:45 p.m. EDT.
The company stressed that these precautions were being taken with an abundance of caution but acknowledged the impact on their service over the coming days. The specifics of the inspections remain undisclosed, although Flight Aware data indicates that the majority of the cancellations involve Spirit’s Airbus A319 aircraft.
Airports affected by the cancellations include Atlantic City, Hartsfield-Jackson, Nashville, Boston Logan, Baltimore/Washington, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston Bush, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Memphis, Orlando, Chicago O’Hare, Southwest Florida, and Tampa. The Federal Aviation Administration reiterated that the compulsory maintenance checks would be thoroughly addressed before returning the aircraft to service.
