All flights ceased on Saturday as Spirit closed call centers and began orderly liquidation process
By Catholics for Catholics
In the growing woes for air travel and passengers, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Sunday that the downfall of Spirit Airlines followed former President Joe Biden’s administration’s decision, alongside former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and the U.S. Department of Justice, to block a proposed merger with JetBlue, after the airline ceased operations early Saturday morning and entered liquidation.
“The Joe Biden-Pete Buttigieg administration and DOJ tanked that deal,” Duffy said on ABC’s “This Week.” “Immediately after that, they filed for bankruptcy.”
According to Fox News, Duffy’s comments came as Spirit stopped all flights at about 3 a.m. Saturday, closed ticket counters, call centers and started what he described as an “orderly liquidation process,” while federal officials and airlines moved to assist affected passengers.
Duffy said the shutdown left no airline aid for travelers. In fact, the situation was downright dire for some Spirit customers.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy blasted the “Joe Biden-Pete Buttigieg blockade” of the Spirit–JetBlue merger, saying the failed policy helped lead to Spirit’s bankruptcy. pic.twitter.com/3FUDQaYU8B
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) May 4, 2026
“Spirit does not have airplanes in the air flying as of this morning,” Duffy said. “If you have a flight scheduled with Spirit Airlines, don’t show up at the airport. There will be no one here to assist you.”
Trying to help the stranded passengers, the Department of Transportation worked with major carriers to mitigate chaos, with airlines offering capped fares and discounted tickets for displaced passengers.
Duffy said several airlines stepped in to stabilize pricing and capacity in the immediate aftermath.
Save and Share This Catholic Patriotic Minute!
