CAL PHL FLYER
Aug 6, 07, 11:47 pm
Weekend disruptions force Spirit to cancel about 10% of its schedule
Following a weekend of widespread flight disruptions, Spirit is advising customers "who have flights booked in the next day or so to check at least 4 hours prior to flight to ensure that it will depart as scheduled," according to CBS 4 of Fort Lauderdale. The station reports that rough weather in the Northeast on Friday forced Spirit to delay, divert and cancel numerous flights into the weekend. CBS 4 says "extra pilots were called in Friday and Saturday to help ferry the (diverted) planes back to their original destinations. By doing so, a number of pilots used up the allotted time they are allowed to spend in a cockpit in a 24 hour period. To add to the pilot shortage, four pilots called in sick Saturday, another seven on Sunday," the station adds.
Spirit spokesman Alison Russell says cancellations impacted about 10% of the airline's flights during the weekend. The Miami Herald (free registration) says the disruptions left Spirit officials facing a "horde of angry customers over the weekend." The Herald notes that "last month, Spirit faced another setback when many customers encountered hours-long lines for flights out of Fort Lauderdale. A combination of too many travelers, too little lobby space and new fees for checked baggage had lines snaking out of the terminal and into the hot sun."
Following a weekend of widespread flight disruptions, Spirit is advising customers "who have flights booked in the next day or so to check at least 4 hours prior to flight to ensure that it will depart as scheduled," according to CBS 4 of Fort Lauderdale. The station reports that rough weather in the Northeast on Friday forced Spirit to delay, divert and cancel numerous flights into the weekend. CBS 4 says "extra pilots were called in Friday and Saturday to help ferry the (diverted) planes back to their original destinations. By doing so, a number of pilots used up the allotted time they are allowed to spend in a cockpit in a 24 hour period. To add to the pilot shortage, four pilots called in sick Saturday, another seven on Sunday," the station adds.
Spirit spokesman Alison Russell says cancellations impacted about 10% of the airline's flights during the weekend. The Miami Herald (free registration) says the disruptions left Spirit officials facing a "horde of angry customers over the weekend." The Herald notes that "last month, Spirit faced another setback when many customers encountered hours-long lines for flights out of Fort Lauderdale. A combination of too many travelers, too little lobby space and new fees for checked baggage had lines snaking out of the terminal and into the hot sun."