US Airlines to Aid Stranded Passengers After Spirit Airlines Shuts Down

Spirit Airlines jets sat on the tarmac as the company ceased operations at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on May 2, 2026. Giorgio Viera/AFP via Getty ImagesTransportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy said that U.S. airlines will assist stranded passengers and displaced workers after Spirit Airlines said on Saturday it had ceased operations “effective immediately.”The airline canceled its flights and said its passengers should not go to the airport.