Spirit Airlines officially files bankruptcy, encourages customers to keep booking flights as normal

LATROBE, Pa. — After speculation last week, Spirit Airlines officially filed for bankruptcy Monday morning. They’re looking to restructure their debt, but they’re encouraging their customers to keep taking and booking their flights, including the flights that leave the Arnold Palmer Regional Airport in Latrobe.

Tammy Burkey was at the Arnold Palmer Regional Airport Monday afternoon looking to get away after the new year.

>> Spirit Airlines files for bankruptcy, will it affect your holiday travel plans?

“[I’m] buying tickets to go to Orlando,” she told Channel 11′s Andrew Havranek.

She said it saves her the drive from Latrobe to Pittsburgh, and hopes the route doesn’t get cut.

“I really hope not,” Burkey said. “It’s just so convenient, and everybody here has always been really nice.”

“It’s a concern to our business community, it’s a concern to our business community, it’s many concerns,” said Dan Debone, President and CEO of the Westmoreland County Chamber of Commerce.

He said the good news is Spirit has not announced they would discontinue any routes including the daily flight from Latrobe to Orlando.

“Spirit Airlines has been a significant economic driver for our county,” DeBone said. “From what we understand, nothing’s going to change, but I can tell you if they were to cut, and if they were to dramatically alter their service, it would affect us. It would hurt us.”

In an email to customers, Spirit Airlines told their Free Spirit members filing bankruptcy was a proactive step to position the company for success and reduce their total debt. They also said, “The most important thing to know is that you can continue to book and fly now and in the future.”

“What I think was encouraging was their response to it,” said Gabe Monzo, Executive Director of the Westmoreland County Airport Authority. “The biggest thing is keep booking.”

And since Spirit is encouraging people to keep booking flights, Arnold Palmer Regional has increased staffing hours at the ticketing counter as we head into the holiday season, and then spring break.

“We don’t want to miss that opportunity if they come back with a strong schedule and they work their way through bankruptcy and come back with a strong schedule, we’re going to be ready for it,” Monzo told Channel 11.

No word yet on whether the seasonal flight to Myrtle Beach will return, but Arnold Palmer Regional Airport is hopeful it will.

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