Corporate Travelers Largely Spared By Spirit Cancellations

Spirit Airlines today said it would cancel all of its flights through Wednesday, following a pilot strike that began this weekend. However, data pulled by BCD Travel confirms that corporate travelers generally have steered clear of the carrier and largely are unaffected by the strike.

BCD Travel said among all of its clients, only 65 travelers have been impacted by the Spirit work stoppage, a figure a spokesperson described as "miniscule." Most of those impacted, the spokesperson said, were flying to or from Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

American Express similarly said, "Spirit Airlines services a small fraction of the corporate traveler population given they tend to have routes more in line with leisure travelers."

For those impacted, Spirit said it "is processing future flight credits for customers for the full amount of their unflown flight purchase, and is also giving them a $100 future flight credit." However, the airline, known to eschew frills, embrace fees and focus on leisure routes, is not giving customers the option of a full refund or reaccommodation on other carriers.

"Spirit is not required by law to arrange substitute transportation on other airlines or to refund the cost of other travel services that you are not able to use due to the cancellation of your Spirit flight," the U.S. Department of Transportation advised affected customers in a statement. "In order to attempt to recover reimbursement for such costs, your recourse would be to the appropriate civil court, such as a small claims court.