Article #17531

Budget airline left thousands stranded on Saturday after ceasing operations amid financial troubles

• Spirit Airlines shutdown: how to get home and get refunds

• Political blame game begins and passengers left adrift after Spirit ceases operations

Spirit Airlines has almost finished refunding customers for flights abruptly canceled over the weekend as the company folded.

The budget airline left thousands of customers and staff stranded after deciding on Saturday to pull the plug on a business that was struggling for years, before a surge in the price of jet fuel blew a new hole in its budget.