Passengers Stranded in Puerto Rico Amid Spirit Airlines' 'Operational Challenges'

Spirit Airlines passengers reported being stranded in Puerto Rico on Monday, August 2, after the airline canceled flights on August 1.

Videos filmed by Tito Arias show passengers searching for luggage at a baggage claim and people lined up at the Spirit Airlines counter in Puerto Rico’s Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport on Monday.

“When #spiritairlines leaves you stranded in Puerto Rico with no employees in sight and holds your luggage and money hostage. We were stuck overnight with no clothes or essentials for our 3- or 1-year-olds and are still without answers and searching for flights,” Arias wrote on Twitter.

“We are experiencing operational challenges in some areas of our network,” Spirit said in a tweet on August 2.

Reports said Spirit canceled flights in several locations, including Orlando, Fort Lauderdale, and Las Vegas.

The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA released a statement denying that the Spirit Airlines cancellations were due to an employee strike.

The AFA said, “Spirit Airlines is experiencing operational issues causing flight delays and cancellations due to weather, schedule month changeover, and IT outages. A few news outlets have incorrectly reported that this may be due to a strike. This is not true. There is no flight attendant strike. Crews are not the issue. Management is proactively cancelling flights today to recover the operation and prevent further disruption for passengers.” Credit: Tito Arias via Storyful