Trump administration lays groundwork for relief plan for Spirit Airlines customers, employees

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy unveiled a relief plan for Spirit Airlines customers and employees following the airline’s shutdown early Saturday. Four major airlines — United, Delta, JetBlue and Southwest — will cap ticket prices for Spirit customers who need to rebook cancelled flights, and customers who can validate their purchase will be offered a one-way ticket costing around $200, he announced. American Airlines and Delta Air Lines will also be offering reduced fares on high-volume Spirit routes. Allegiant will freeze fare prices across routes that overlap with Spirit, and Frontier will be offering up to 50% off base fares across its network until May 10. “I would recommend that if you have a ticket with Spirit that you actually try to book with these airlines as soon as possible, these offers are not going to be open forever,” Mr. Duffy said. The now-defunct airline will automatically process refunds to travelers who paid with a credit or debit card, and they may request a “chargeback” from their card issuer for services not rendered or go through their travel insurance provider to see if the policy covers insolvency or service cessation. Travelers may also file a formal “proof of claim” with a