The Spirit Airlines website as it appears at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday.
[Updated at 10:31 a.m.] Spirit Airlines is working with the with the company that oversees its computer systems to fix problems with their reservations system, Misty Pinson, Director of Corporate Communications for Spirit Airlines told CNN.
“All flights are operating and we have not had any cancellations. We are very proud of our employees for stepping up and ensuring that our customers are checked in without an automated system.”
Scott Wintner, a spokesperson for the Detroit Metro Airport told CNN, Spirit Airlines have been going back to old pencil and paper system - checking people in manually. Instead of checking people in on a first come, first serve basis, agents have been taking people into groups and checking them in based on their departing times. That has led to agents being unable to give passengers approximate wait times.
And if you're flying Spirit you probably won't be able to get any help online either. As of the time of this posting it seems the computer crash has also led to the website being down.
At 4:30 this morning the line was through the entire terminal earlier this morning, Wintner said, adding he had never seen a line like that at the Detroit airport.
[Posted at 10:03 a.m.] As if there weren't enough concerns about trouble at the airports today - Spirit Airlines computers have crashed on one of the busiest travel days of the year.
"Our system is currently down, but we expect it to be up again shortly. In the meantime, we are checking in customers manually. Although this does take a bit more time, we do have additional staffing at our airports today and we are getting customers to their flights on time," the airline said in a statement to CNN affiliate WDIV. CNN affiliate WXYZ said Spirit Airlines told them the system is down for “routine maintenance” and would be back up in two hours.
WXYZ reported the issue was causing long lines at the terminal where Spirit is located at Detroit Metro Airport and that several flights are delayed because passengers are having to be checked in by hand by the airline's agents. WDIV reported check-ins are not working online or at the airport kiosks.
So if you're traveling with Spirit, here are your options: Call Spirit Airlines customer service at (800) 772-7117. They may be able to offer you a full refund, rebook you on another flight, or rebook you on a flight with another airline.
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Short of a necessary airlift to safety due to an imminent asteroid strike on Earth, I would NEVER fly this airline.
Can we blame North Korea on this one ?
What probably happened us that their computer maintenance contractor showed up to work on their servers, then discovered they were going to be charged $10 to use the bathroom. So they left...
Par for the course with this loser of an airline. Routine maintenance huh. Can't even be up front with their poor customers.
Citrix and Results Reservations Technology ... For those interested.
This wouldn't have been nearly as much of an issue if Detroit wasn't such a dump. Maybe its residents wouldn't be ashamed to have company come to them.
...wow. Really? When was the last time you were REALLY in Detroit/interacted with Detroit residents??
I just booked a flight to Aruba for spring break. Since no one out of Detroit Metro flies to the Carribean non-stop anymore, Spirit via Ft. Lauderdale looked the best. Then you factor in the $30 to check a bag and $30 to bring your small roller suitcase on board, plus $10 – $50 to hold your seat (I only paid $10 since we booked early enough) and that's on each leg of the flight. So my family of 3 is now paying $230 in fees alone for the 4 legs of this trip. And, to add insult to injury, you don't even get a glass of pop (soda) and a bag of pretzels on the Spirit planes anymore, you have to pay $3 for a can and another $3 to $5 to get any type of snacks. What a major ripoff – I'm never booking on Spirit anymore. I really miss Northwest Airlines!!!
When ever I have to fly spirit....I always bring a rock to sit on (softer than the seats) and my own snack...plus ear plugs so I don't have to listen to the flight tormentors...er...attendants.
I flew Spirit out of Ft. Lauderdale after New Year's 2009 and it was an terrible experience. They obviously overbooked every flight by a country mile and then proceeded to bump passengers off Flight#1, tell them to get to the counters early for Flight#2, so they could bump Flight#2 passengers off and sneak them onto Flight#3...see where this is going? WORST AIRLINE EVER.
Never flown them....Never will.
OMG! You are telling me that any airline, I mean any airline, will take a system down for two hours as "routine maintenance" on the busiest travel day of the year? Yeah, right. What a freaking bald face lie!
I wonder if Spirit lies on their aircraft maintenance logs too? Yikes!
"CNN affiliate WXYZ said Spirit Airlines told them the system is down for “routine maintenance” and would be back up in two hours."
Welcome to Spirit . I'm sorry, you'll have to check the cage with the Rooster inside.
"CNN affiliate WXYZ said Spirit Airlines told them the system is down for “routine maintenance” and would be back up in two hours." And this is why I HATE corporate culture. They invariably choose to LIE to save face, if they don't out-and-out commit cover-ups. "Routine maintainence"?!? At this time of day and year?!? Yeah, right...
When will they learn that Windows is NOT a production quality product. It's junk.
Chek the cause of the routine maint. b4 u start rattlin off abt windows.
Spirit Airlines – Where you won't stand a ghost of a chance of getting there on time!