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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
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Had flights booked thru Spiri 12/26/22 from Charlotte to St. Croix with a stop of Ft. Lauderdale for the long awaited 10 day vacation that we saved for all year for me, my spouse and daughter. We boarded our flight in charlotte and arrived in Ft. Lauderdale to have continuous delays literally from while still on the tarmac and continued for the next 9 hours until it was finally cancelled. Customer service offered us flights to St. Croix on Saturday! ( it was Monday ) umm my vacation would be over if you didnt put me thru the same I just experienced. They also could not get us even home to Charlotte until possibly Thursday. We ended up booking a hotel for the night and American flights home the next morning to our expense of just $1500. The response I got when requesting refunds and reimbursement was they will get back to me in 30 DAYS. Merry Christmas from Spirit Airlines!
For August 25th the company booked a flight without my consent. I needed a ticket for my daughter, I tried to buy it but the system “didn’t go through” the time expired. I bought her the ticket with other airline. I see my statement with the charge of the ticket, I call Spirit and they refused to give me a credit for the unauthorized charged. I didn’t try to buy the ticket again, it was a “glitch” in the system. The representative said he won’t give a credit and told me to do the claim directly to my bank. I did the claim to the bank and Spirit once again robbed me. The bank is charging me for the unauthorized transaction because the airline says it was my no show. I have the conversation saved where the rep wrote to me do the claim to your bank. If I could help with that to go further to provide more proof against Spirit Airlines please contact me. I will send you all I got. Have a blessed day.
I have over a thousand dollars wasted with Spirit airlines on flight credits they refuse refunds for, issue fake “vouchers” that never get used for more cancelled flights and so forth. its ridiculous.
I wasted 1200 dollars on cancelation flight from Seattle to Las Vegas. I submitted a claim, talked to more than 10 customers support and so called managers, from India for period of 3 months and sent many emails, but never received any resolution or response from a human being. I had never been more frustrated, angry, and wasted time dealing with worst company in my life time. They should get sued for malpractice.
I also got tickets to Spirit that have been trying to use the credit ever since I got it and every time I call it’s it’s expired to ask for an extension or whatever so I guess this just money lost
Spirit airlines is the WORSE!!! And they are getting away with stealing money from us. I booked a flight from Florida to P:hiladelphia for March. I went back later and paid an additional $40 for the exit row. When I boarded the plane, they put me in row 11A. The lady sitting in 11B said “Did you pay for the exit row”. I said Yes I did. She said “They are going to give us a refund. They had to change the planes out.” I received a little green card with the phone number to call Spirit to get my “refund”. LAUGH. They keep trying to tell me I didn’t order the “exit row”. I paid for “Seat row 11A” I am so over them. They want to give me a credit of $50 for a flight within 90 days. My last flight with them was 2 years ago.
Something needs to be done about this! Yes It’s $40 I blow more than that a week at DD for coffee.. Its the principle of the matter.
Everyone of the ppl in row 11 of that flight received a credit. It’s NOT because WE did something. Spirit sold us an “exit” row. Then continue to tell me that “the customer’s have control of their seats” YOU ARE THIEVES!!!
I just had the worst experience with Spirit airlines. I believe they overbooked both of my flights and claimed they were both canceled due to weather but the employees stated that it was due to not having a plane and crew. The email I am posting below explains what happened.
To begin you have lost my service forever and I would never ever recommend flying spirit airlines to anyone again. Our flight leaving on Thursday June 16th was delayed five times before it was canceled. Your staff did not seem to care or try to help with headache that your airlines created. We then had to spend an extra $250 to fly out of another airport in another state and pay $150 to Uber to this said airport. I believe that I am entitled to compensation for that experience. But just wait it does not stop there. Our flight home on Sunday June 19th has been an adventure as well. Our flight was delayed 4 hours due to not having a crew, which in turn from what previously happened we know will be canceled. If you are wondering how we know this, your customer service representative recommended that we book with another airline due to the lack of crew. So, listening to your employee I booked with another airline which costed myself another $250 dollars. That brings the grand total to $650 that I had to spend due to your companies incompetence. I will be expecting a response and compensation for this traumatic experience and again I will never fly your airline. I love forward to hearing back from you and the compensation that I will be receiving. Please make this an easy experience or you will be hearing from my legal team.
My flight august 3 2021 from Tampa to DFW was cancelled by those clowns . They provided worthless vouchers and wouldn’t even pick up the phone . I had to pay hotel car rental a flight on a different airline and I missed work time
My husband, parents and I went on vacation to FL. For my husbands 30th birthday. The trip was wonderful but ending that trip 8/3/21 was disastrous!! The worst traveling experience of my life!! I WILL NEVER FLY SPIRIT AGAIN and they had the audacity to send me vouchers for all of the inconvenience this caused us at the time. Extended hotel stay (hours on hours at the airport with zero answers) – extended car rental – missed days from work back home – ETC. just to have to purchase another flight with a different airline!! Shame on you SA!!
They have completely screwed me out of 525 buck’s, cancelled my flight to Costa at last minute and refuse to acknowledge my reservation with all my request for refund.
And Capital one, made me jump through hoops, providing copies of everything that they already had..in the end, they said it had taken too long for them to recoup the money, another useless company
Please feel free to contact me as I have and am experiencing an identical matter with Spirit Airlines.
I experienced this as well. This actually happened this morning, to me (with my youngest two kids) and another woman (with a daughter whom was taking this trip for serious medical needs). We’d love to help seek justice by providing any information needed. I have emails and credit card statements for the purchase and agreed upon flights. Please feel free to reach out.