Budget airline blasted in viral video as ‘perfect honeymoon week’ ends in travel chaos

Online influencers were not amused astir utmost question difficulties successful the 24-hour play betwixt March 15, 2026, and March 16, 2026, arsenic experienced by immoderate Spirit Airlines travelers arsenic good arsenic those astatine the Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport. 

Numerous passengers took to TikTok connected Sunday and Monday to stock their upset astir the chaos they experienced. 

The partial DHS shutdown — combined with terrible weather, staffing shortages, the outpouring interruption question play and the Spirit Airlines bankruptcy — created wide cancellations and delays, particularly successful Florida.

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"Several factors person affected our operations implicit the past fewer days, including adverse upwind and Air Traffic Control (ATC) constraints that person besides impacted unit availability," a Spirit Airlines spokesperson told Fox News Digital successful effect to a petition for comment. 

"This includes aggregate ATC initiatives for Florida, wherever we run a important information of our flights, resulting successful heightened impacts to our schedule," the spokesperson continued.

In a cascade of disruptions, the partial authorities shutdown, terrible weather, staffing shortages, the outpouring interruption question period, and Spirit Airlines’ bankruptcy collided to make countless cancellations and delays. (iStock)

One bride connected TikTok had seen enough. "Way to ruin the extremity of our cleanable honeymoon week, Spirit," she wrote successful despair.

To travel her video footage showing monolithic lines, she besides said, "If you were flying Spirit retired of FLL, conscionable enactment location — we've been present astir 12 hours. It's present 4 a.m. and this is the line."

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Her followers were divided astir whether the concern was Spirit's responsibility oregon not. Many travelers blamed the upwind and the DHS shutdown.

"This doesn’t person thing to bash with Spirit. Look astatine the departure boards — each hose either says delayed oregon canceled owed to each the upwind happening everyplace and postulation power being understaffed and overworked," 1 idiosyncratic wrote. 

"Spirit Airlines has been suffering unit shortages for months now," 1 question adept told Fox News Digital.  (Joe Raedle)

"My formation was delayed retired of Vegas owed to nary pilots. People besides hide that [there's] a partial authorities shutdown, and the upwind is brainsick connected the East Coast," different traveler said.

Another commenter chimed in, saying, "Literally person been stuck successful airports for 3 days trying to get home. Was expected to get location Friday night. It’s present Monday and hopefully [I will] get location tonight. DO NOT FLY if you tin assistance it."

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Another TikTok video showed monolithic crowds successful Fort Lauderdale airport. The idiosyncratic wrote, "Never flying retired of Ft. Lauderdale again and def not with Spirit #ftlauderdale #spiritairlines #springbreak."

The video showed scores of travelers sitting oregon sleeping connected the level of the airport.

Many travelers person been deed hard by cancellations and delays of late. (iStock)

A commenter said, "My flights were canceled twice! I was expected to permission past night. I would beryllium stuck until Thursday if I didn’t power to United retired of West Palm!"

The Spirit spokesperson besides told Fox News Digital, "We recognize however frustrating it tin beryllium for our guests erstwhile plans alteration unexpectedly, and we apologize for the inconvenience," referring to each the airline's passengers.

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"We are reaching retired to guests with affected question plans to notify them of their options, including re-accommodation oregon a refund," the spokesperson added.

Spirit Aviation Holdings, the genitor institution of Spirit Airlines, said Friday it volition trim its fleet to astir 1 3rd of its pre‑bankruptcy size, according to a tribunal filing.

Spirit Airlines entered Chapter 11 extortion successful August past twelvemonth with 214 aircraft; it has been moving to unload immoderate 100 aircraft. (Kevin Carter/Getty Images)

The fund hose is going done a heavy restructuring to effort to chopped costs and stabilize finances aft filing for bankruptcy doubly successful a year.

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Spirit entered Chapter 11 extortion successful August past twelvemonth with 214 aircraft, past announced it would unload immoderate 100 aircraft. 

"We recognize however frustrating it tin beryllium for our guests erstwhile plans alteration unexpectedly."

Spirit said Friday it volition trim its fleet further successful the 3rd 4th of 2026.

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"Spirit Airlines has been suffering unit shortages for months now," Gary Leff, a Texas-based question manufacture adept and writer of the blog "View from the Wing," antecedently told Fox News Digital.