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Spirit Airlines Class Action Lawsuit Overview:
- Who: Spirit Airlines is accused of fraudulently selling tickets for flights it knew it would cancel in a new class action lawsuit.
- Why: Travellers allege Spirit Airlines left tens of thousands of passengers stranded at airports throughout the country when it “fraudulently and deceptively” induced customers to purchase tickets for flights between July and August 2021.
- Where: The lawsuit is for travellers nationwide in the US.
During the peak of summer travel season, Spirit Airlines left tens of thousands of passengers stranded at airports throughout the country when it “fraudulently and deceptively” induced customers to purchase tickets for flights it knew would not fly, a new class action lawsuit alleges.
The lawsuit was filed in Florida on Oct. 15 by lead plaintiffs Amber Terreta and Debra Rayner, who allege Spirit violated state trade and consumer protection laws by selling tickets for the cancelled flights and then holding onto the money of tens of thousands of passengers.
Spirit, notorious for its low prices and no-frills flying experience, was well aware it could not handle the glut of tickets sold between July 30 and August 9, 2021, the claim alleges. Nevertheless, the company continued to sell tickets to unwitting customers, leaving them stranded without recompense or communication, according to the lawsuit.
Between those dates, Spirit canceled approximately 2,826 flights, accounting for more than half of the company’s scheduled flights. According to the claim, Spirit cancelled flights during this time because it had a severe labor shortage caused by its “knowing failure to hire and maintain sufficient staffing levels necessary to provide promised services to its customers.”
Spirit Airlines Was ‘Well Aware It Did Not Have Sufficient Labor’ to Meet Flight Demands, Class Action Lawsuit Claims
During the pandemic, the airline laid off or furloughed thousands of employees and when airline travel rebounded to pre-pandemic levels, Spirit failed to re-hire or re-train enough airline employees to staff its operations, the lawsuit alleges.
“Spirit was well aware that it did not have sufficient labor to meet the demand of the number of flights it scheduled between July 30, 2021 and August 6, 2021, which is around the peak of summer travel season,” the class action claim states.
On July 25, 2021, Terreta bought tickets for herself, Joseph Terreta, and their two children to travel return with Spirit from Latrobe, Pennsylvania to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina for a total of $464. But on the date the family was due to travel they were told the flights had been cancelled and they still have not been refunded for the trip.
Terreta was instead offered reservation credit and travel vouchers totaling $323.80 that must be used by December 2021 and come with their own restrictions, the class action lawsuit alleges.
Rayner had a similar experience, having booked a return trip to Las Vegas in August that was also cancelled, however she managed to obtain a refund.
“Thousands of customers, like plaintiffs, purchased tickets relying on Spirit’s promise to handle the traffic of its scheduled flights only to be left stuck for hours or days on end in airports with little or no communication from the company,” the lawsuit states. “These travelers would likely not have purchased flight tickets from Spirit had they known the true status of Spirit’s labor shortages and its inability to accommodate the purchased travel arrangements.”
Instead, the pair allege, Spirit ignored its customers, refusing to compensate passengers for cancelled flights, and failing to make alternative travel arrangements on other airlines or provide hotel accommodations.
“Spirit’s actions directly caused their customers immense stress and discomfort, incur increased travel fees, and to miss thousands of family and business events.”
Terreta and Rayner want to represent travelers nationwide affected by Spirits’ cancellations. They are suing for violations of Florida Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices Act, breach of contract, fraud, unjust enrichment, and violation of state consumer protection acts. They seek reimbursement requiring Spirit to refund all ticket purchases for cancelled flights during the applicable time period and other damages, attorney fees, interest, and a jury trial.
Did you have a flight cancelled by Spirit between July and August? Let us know your experience in the comments section!
Terreta and Rayner are represented by Marcus W. Corwin and Stephen L. Conteaguero of Corwin Law.
The Spirit Cancelled Flights Class Action Lawsuit is Terreta, et al., v. Spirit Airlines, Inc., Case No. 0:21-cv-62148-XXXX in the U.S. District Court Southern District of Florida.
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80 thoughts onSpirit Airlines ‘Fraudulently’ Sold Thousands of Tickets for Flights It Knew It Wouldn’t Fly, Class Action Alleges
We are now driving to Florida in the middle of the night. All of the about stories is what just happened to us. First flight cancelled, send ins rebooked flight two days later cancelled. This is INSANE. My husbands health was affected from the stress of all this . This was our first family vacation ever with 5 kids. So we decided to make the best out this horrible situation we’d drive and try to salvage our Airbnb that is non refundable. I am beside myself.
Spirit airline ruined my birthday n retirement celebration n my husband flew from Sweden to Los Angeles n d airline canceled our flight last minute nk709 Lax on 4/9/2022 arriving Miami 4/10 n cruising Norwegian Encore to Eastern Caribbean 4/10-4/17, Flight availability will cost us $2500 round trip per person from Lax to Houston only not Miami on 4/11/ 2 days after boat departed. I declined the gave us $50 voucher pp, tried to booked a new flight but the date is unavailable to meet our cruise, we were so stress out that my BP was out of control, we decided our life is more precious, SKY TRAX is another website almost 5000 complaints from this airline. If anyone filing for class action pls include me, Thank u
Same thing happen to me and my family this week. I booked out of NJ to Miami 4/11 they canceled with no option to rebook within a reasonable time. I missed out on an entire family vacation. Lost all the money I paid for the airbnb I rented in Pompano Beach. Not to mention the stress and time heart ache its a mess! I have tried to contact sprit several times because I fell they should compensate us all for our time and trouble. Thy 100% knew what they were doing. Please add me to any law suite that gets started for this round of betrayals.
Best of luck
Ann A NY
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yes me too i had to bus out of las vegas book 2 hotel rooms and secure a flight from american air lines
I had flights cancelled 04/03/2022 with Spirit and have not received any refunds of $583.00, Customer Service is not helpful and has no knowledge of how to assist. We need to hold the CEO accountable for Spirit deceptive practices. Let’s send him to packing his bags.
I agree!!!’ Sorry to hear this Barbara. I am researching this airline and I was directed to this site because this happened to me. Flight was cancelled on 4/3 due to “air traffic control” and rescheduled to 4/4 which was cancelled again due to “crew shortage”. I am on a train as I write this…on our way to family house until tomorrow night. We booked with a different airline. Spirit needs to fix this mess they’ve created with so many customers.
We were also canceled on 4/3/22 from dtw to Mia. Had to buy tickets on frontier for $1600 from Cleveland and still haven’t gotten a refund from spirit. Someone please contact me if there will be another class action suit
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Another class action suit should be started over the inability to schedule flights using the voucher. I had issues using my voucher expiring 12/25; calls, online chat, and emails have gone unanswered. Now I’m out $450+.
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I originally cancelled a flight due to covid in July and received a voucher. When I rebooked my flight for August I found out the flight was cancelled AFTER I was prompted to “check in” the night before. I was floored b/c I had just checked in and it was probably 11:30 pm when my flight for 9 am I received the text. There were no alternative flights offered, no partner airlines, etc. We paid a fortune and booked with an alternative airline in order to keep our vacation plans. Unfortunately… because my first flight was cancelled, I was only offered a voucher vs. a refund. Well, Thanksgiving it happened again!!!! We received a text 1 hour before our flight. We decided to drive 9 hours to NC (in addition to the 2 hr airport mishap). We were able to speak with a manager and was assured an original refund would be offered. I have been f/u on that continuously. Each time I call, it takes several tries to find a representative that is knowledgeable to help. In early Dec they said it was held up with finance and within 5 days. 20 days later…. nothing! After trying twice to use this notion of a voucher, it would only be fair for a full refund of the original flight. And that’s generous considering the impact. The last minute cancellation cost us thousands of dollars.
Please add me to your list. I had to cancel my spirit flight and reschedule with another airline
In the month of July I purchased five tickets four for my boys and one for their grandma they were to leave Oakland California go to Las Vegas Nevada for a 9 hour layover and then make it to Detroit Michigan the next day when they arrived in Vegas they want to go get a hotel because they had a nine over layover when they got back to the airline they waited for the depart time which was 9 something 9:00 p.m. something at that point they were told that their flight was canceled and that it was rescheduled although and then that was it that left my kids that are the age of 12 11 7 and 6:00 their grandma and their grandpa that had a different ticket from their ticket stranded at the airlines all night on the floor now where to go because they were in a whole different state that they weren’t supposed to be in so I’m calling I’m in Michigan I’m calling up Spirit trying to figure out flight they tell me all they’re leaving the next day everything’s okay they were stuck in Las Vegas Nevada for 4 days paying $100 a night for a hotel spending $50 for food because they had to feed four boys and themselves on Thursday my sister from Arizona we had to pay her $150 to drive from Phoenix Arizona to Las Vegas Nevada because that Las Vegas Nevada is not a safe place for children at all and the fact that they don’t know anybody out there and they were scared and all they wanted to do was come home so now we have to figure out how to get them home from Arizona my dad drove from California to Michigan then because now my son’s are stuck in the state of Arizona me and my dad drive from the state of Michigan to the State of Arizona which was costing us more than $400 after that happened we drove the boys back from Arizona to Michigan when I came home I went to Spirit airlines in Detroit Michigan to ask them about my refund the representative guy told me that I would get $1,000 back but he wouldn’t be able to give it to me there because it was too huge of a refund so then I call the Spirit airlines and everybody knows that it was hard to do that so when I finally get a hold of this person she tells me that she’s only going to give me $200 because they made one part of their travel which was from Oakland to Las Vegas now mind you they didn’t make it to their destination they just made it to Vegas because everybody knows they were canceling flights like dead flies on a window yes it was a lot of stress yes it was a lot of money that we did not have to get our son’s home before they had to start school I will say this you guys are a huge blessing and I apologize to any family out there that had to deal with this situation blessings on blessings amen God is good My son’s Names are Javonta Debusschere ,Ja’quan Debusschere, Silas Turneur , Dante Turneur. Thier grandma Rhonda whillers and grandpa John Garcia.
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