A major airline has closed down and canceled all flights after plunging into financial difficulty. Spirit Airlines, an ultra-low-cost carrier that once operated hundreds of daily flights on its bright yellow planes and employed approximately 17,000 people, announced it had "started an orderly wind-down of our operations, effective immediately."
Background of the Airline
The carrier emerged from a trucking company founded in the 1960s, with air operations commencing after it was established as an airline in 1983. It moved its base to Florida in 1999. Spirit opened as many as 29 new routes during its peak in the mid-2010s and was once valued at $6 billion at one stage.
Impact on Passengers and Employees
The airline stated on its website that all flights have been canceled and customer service is no longer available. "We are proud of the impact of our ultra-low-cost model on the industry over the last 34 years and had hoped to serve our guests for many years to come," the announcement read. The sudden closure has left thousands of passengers stranded and employees uncertain about their futures.
This is a developing story. More details will be provided as they become available.
