Spirit Airlines strike strands thousands

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – A strike by Spirit Airlines pilots has shut down the discount carrier, stranding thousands of travelers.

The walkout, which began Saturday, forced the airline to cancel its flights Saturday and today. Its CEO said no talks were scheduled with picketing pilots.

Spirit carries 16,680 passengers per day – about 1 percent of the U.S. total – mostly between the eastern U.S. and the Caribbean and Latin America. But its shutdown is causing major problems for its fliers.

Spirit tickets are only good on a handful of other carriers, and only if there’s space on the flight. The airline said it was refunding fares for Saturday flights plus a $100 credit toward future flights. It was trying to get its passengers booked onto other airlines.

People who needed to replace their Spirit tickets found the cost of same-day fares on other airlines was two to three times more than their tickets.

The Spirit terminal, usually the busiest in Fort Lauderdale, was full of angry travelers desperate to return home or start trips on Saturday. Extra Spirit staff and local police were posted in the ticketing area.

Spirit CEO Ben Baldanza said in an interview that he hoped to get some of Spirit’s 31 aircraft flying soon with management pilots or others who cross the picket line.

Spirit pilots have said their pay lags competitors such as AirTran Airways and JetBlue. The airline and its pilots had been negotiating for more than three years.