NEW YORK CITY — Spirit Airlines said in court papers filed Monday that it was forced to permanently ground its fleet because recent geopolitical events led to a massive and sustained increase in fuel prices. The carrier ceased operations early Saturday, leaving thousands of travelers stranded midtrip and forcing others to rebook on other airlines.

The court filings did not specify the nature of the geopolitical events. Jet fuel prices have increased in the two months since the start of the war in Iran. Spirit lost $60 million in the first two months of 2026.

"The Debtors and their advisors searched for increased capital and any sources of savings or liquidity, leaving no option unexplored," the company said in the filings. "It became clear on Thursday that sufficient incremental liquidity would not be found, and that there were no longer any viable paths to a restructuring or continued operations," the company said in the filings.

The airline asked the Federal Aviation Administration to issue a ground stop for its flights at 3 a.m. Saturday to ensure no accidental dispatches. Many passengers said they received no warning of the shutdown.

"The safest time to make this announcement was when no planes were in the air and all crew who were away from their bases had sufficient time to check into hotel accommodations," the company said in the filings. "These actions were taken to prioritize the safety of passengers and crew," the company said in the filings.

Spirit is requesting authorization to abandon its owned aircraft not subject to purchase agreements and to sell or abandon its spare engines and spare parts. The carrier will automatically refund tickets purchased directly with a credit or debit card, and customers who booked through third parties must contact their travel agents for refunds. Compensation for customers who used vouchers, credits, or loyalty points will be determined later through the bankruptcy process.

About 17,000 Spirit employees are now without jobs, including 5,500 flight attendants. The carrier was one of five budget airlines in the United States and had declared bankruptcy two times. Several years ago, it attempted to be acquired by JetBlue, but a federal judge ruled the proposed merger violated antitrust rules, siding with Justice Department officials. Federal court filings showed Spirit marketed fares about 30% lower than competitors on some routes, and competing carriers often lowered fares on those routes to remain competitive.

Average fares on routes formerly served by the airline have increased by about 14% in the days following the shutdown, according to Parag Amin, a business attorney and analyst with the Law Offices of Parag L. Amin. "They're looking at it and seeing it as an opportunity to be able to raise their prices," Amin said. "They're likely to see higher prices." He said prices may stabilize once the market adjusts to the airline's absence.