Romulus — The Wayne County Airport Authority is warning Spirit customers not to come to Detroit Metro Airport after the budget airline shut down overnight, stranding people with flight transfers and those arriving for departures.
Airport officials said Spirit has stopped all flying and shut down customer service, urging passengers not to come to DTW for scheduled departures. The Wayne County Airport Authority said it has not received guidance from the airline on the next steps for affected customers.
“If you are scheduled to travel on a Spirit flight, please do not come to DTW,” the authority said in a statement.
The sudden shutdown follows weeks of mounting financial pressure on the budget carrier, which had been seeking a $500 million federal lifeline but failed to secure support from government officials and key bondholders. With cash dwindling and losses mounting, the airline moved forward with liquidation plans.
The collapse is expected to ripple across Metro Airport, where Spirit ranked as the No. 2 carrier, raising the likelihood of higher fares and fewer low-cost travel options in the near term. Other airlines are expected to add flights to absorb demand, though travelers might face further disruptions in the days ahead.
Passengers seeking information are being directed to a restructuring website set up by the budget carrier, while airport officials said staff remain on-site to assist travelers as best they can.
Come back to detroitnews.com for more on this developing story.
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Spirit customers warned not to come to DTW
Reporting by Kevin J. Hardy, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
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