Is It Safe To Buy an Airline Ticket From Spirit Right Now? – Technologist

Budget carrier Spirit Airlines announced this week that it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy as it struggles to cope with debt and to position itself for its long-term future.

“Spirit has entered into an agreement with our bondholders that is expected to reduce our total debt, provide increased financial flexibility, position Spirit for long-term success and accelerate investments providing Guests with enhanced travel experiences and greater value,” the airline says in a Nov. 18 news release. “Part of this financial restructuring includes filing a ‘prearranged’ chapter 11.”

Thinking About Flying Spirit Airlines Post-Bankruptcy? Read This

Money expert Clark Howard says with a pre-arranged bankruptcy, Spirit “worked out a deal with all the people they owed money to before they filed. In fact, the very people they owe money to are lending them more money to stabilize the operation.”

Although Spirit has said that flights, ticket sales and reservations continue as usual, a passenger or prospective passenger can’t help but wonder whether to continue with their Spirit travel plans. So here’s the big question and the answer to it:

Should I Fly Spirit Airlines Right Now?

“The reality is that it’s much safer to book Spirit today than it was prior to them filing for bankruptcy,” Clark says. 

Clark says with a pre-arranged bankruptcy, the airline has already taken action to address its bottom line – and that’s what you want to see in a business navigating through financial turbulence.

“So whether or not you want to fly Spirit, that’s a whole different question,” Clark adds, “but as to whether or not it’s going to be stable moving forward, as far as I can see in the future, it should be just fine.”

As part of the bankruptcy process, Spirit announced that it had agreed to a restructuring plan to protect its long-term solvency. That means you can continue to look for cheap fares on Spirit.

If you do opt to change airlines or modify your flight in any way, for their part, Spirit has made it fairly easy to contact them about any flight changes. In addition to talking in person to an agent at the ticket counter, you can reach out the following ways:

• Call 855-728-3555.
• Text 48763.
• Live online chat.
• Talk via WhatsApp by texting “Hello” to 855-728-3555.

Read our guide on how to contact the major airlines.

Final Thoughts

Clark says it was “the worst-kept secret ever” that Spirit was going to go bankrupt. Because the low-cost carrier has taken steps to immediately address its business, Clark says you should have confidence in booking with Spirit Airlines going forward.

In addition to following his #1 Travel Rule to find ways to take trips affordably, Clark’s final tip is one that can save you money at the point of purchase when it comes to airfare:

“With any airline ticket, always pay with a credit card and never with a debit card,” Clark says.

As you may or may not know, in most cases, Clark is not a fan of debit cards and here’s why.

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