Traveler slams 'awful' experience of canceled flights as budget airline announces creditor agreement

Outraged Spirit Airlines passengers face flight disruptions as the twice-bankrupt carrier struggles with staffing shortages, canceling 250-plus flights in February. Travel Traveler slams 'awful' experience of canceled flights as budget airline announces creditor agreement Mass cancellations by Spirit ripple through one state as passengers seek refunds and alternate flights By Jessica Mekles Fox News Published February 24, 2026 6:35pm EST Facebook Twitter Threads Flipboard Comments Print Email Add Fox News on Google close Video Spirit Airlines jet flies too close to Air Force One. 'America Reports' co-hosts react to air traffic control audio from the Spirit Airlines flight. NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Passengers of Spirit Airlines, which has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy twice, have faced cancellations, delays and headaches this February as the budget airline has struggled to retain crews and flight attendants. The company axed more than 250 flights, creating havoc for South Florida residents, as USA Today and other outlets reported. The cancellations were unrelated to recent snowstorms. "Spirit Airlines has been suffering crew shortages for months now," Gary Leff, a Texas-based travel industry expert and author of the blog "View from the Wing," told Fox News Digital. "They've been acknowledging a lack of crew in many of their cancellation announcements." "The troubled carrier has cut pay," he added. "Given uncertainty around the carrier's future, it's likely some employees are taking unannounced time off for a job search." Travelers in Florida have been hit hard by recent cancellations and delays by Spirit Airlines. (iStock)The flight disruptions, as reported by FlightAware, impacted passengers in particular at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, Palm Beach International Airport and Orlando International Airport. "I loved flying Spirit," a longtime passenger, Ira Mendelsohn, told The Palm Beach Post. "The fares are reasonable, they were dependable — and with homes in both the Palm Beach and Atlantic City areas, I rarely had to bring extra luggage with me." AMERICA’S AIRPORT AFFORDABILITY GAP: CITIES WHERE TRAVEL COSTS ARE CRUSHING FAMILIES In 2026, however, loyal customers like Mendelsohn have suffered as a result of the staffing shortages.Mendelsohn recently had two Spirit Airlines flights canceled in one weekend, he said.There will be "flexibility to adjust to seasonal demand across markets." "It has been awful," Mendelsohn told the publication. "And it can take hours now to reach customer service."'SECURITY-RELATED SITUATION' GROUNDS FIGHT TO VACATION HOT SPOT, PASSENGERS CONFINED FOR HOURS"It didn't surprise me this was a significant problem over the recent three-day holiday weekend," Leff of "View from the Wing" added. "The airline’s challenges are continuing." Many crew members were furloughed by Spirit Airlines amid the company's bankruptcy proceedings. (Elijah Nouvelage/Bloomberg) The budget airline announced Tuesday it reached an agreement with creditors that will enable it to emerge from bankruptcy in the spring or early summer.CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP "Spirit will align its network and capacity to routes and periods of strongest consumer demand. This includes higher aircraft utilization during peak days while reducing off-peak flying, as well as the flexibility to adjust to seasonal demand across markets," the company said in a news release.Fox News Digital reached out to Spirit Airlines for more information and comment. CLICK HERE FOR MORE LIFESTYLE STORIES Before this news, though, one booked passenger took to r/spiritair.on Reddit to complain, saying, "What is going on? … Why are there still so many cancellations in mid-February?" "Spirit Airlines has been suffering crew shortages for months now," a Texas-based travel industry expert said. (Joe Raedle)Another traveler said, "I was supposed to fly home and no flights out for the next three days after that. ... Not booking Spirit anymore." TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ The airline moved to recall 500 of more than 1,300 flight attendants who were furloughed in December, as Fox Business has reported. "It can take hours now to reach customer service," a passenger said. (Joe Raedle)"This is good news for 500 flight attendants and their families," said the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, the union that represents Spirit flight attendants. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER Also, Spirit is issuing full refunds for unused tickets if passengers choose not to travel. Related Article Bullet discovered on commercial jet at major airport sparks security scare Jessica Mekles is an editor on the lifestyle team at Fox News Digital. 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