Travelers at IND airport find turbulence over Spirit Airlines shutdown INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Saturday was a tumultuous day for air travelers across the U.S. as Spirit Airlines, the country’s eighth-largest carrier, announced it’s permanently shutting down operations, becoming the first maj or U.S. airline in 25 years to close due to financial difficulties. At Indianapolis International Airport, Spirit’s ticket counter was empty and its kiosks were closed off with belt barriers. Christian Fox of Naples, Florida, was frustrated that he no longer had a flight home. Fox said he woke up Saturday morning to a text message from Spirit telling him his flight and all other Spirit flights had been canceled. He told News 8 that one-way rental cars were unavailable, and he would have to shell out for a last-minute flight on another airline. “I can’t get back home,” Fox said. “It’s turning a $160 round trip to $400-$500, maybe more. … I can’t get a rental car.” Fox said the abrupt flight cancellation will cause him to miss work days at his hospital job. “It’s affecting my job,” he said. “I have to be back at the hospital to take care of patients Monday.” In a note to customers, the ultra-discount airline told Fox and other passengers that it can’t help them rebook flights with other airlines. Fox said he could not make contact with anyone at the company. “You can’t even go up there to try to schedule your plane because no one’s gonna be there and phone lines are turned off,” he said. However, not everyone was frustrated with the news. Andy Hsu spent the afternoon taking photographs of the shuttered ticket counter with his family. “My family and I have a thing where we take a picture of something to remember these companies that have shut down … Toys’R’Us … K-Mart,” Hsu said. “Ten years from now, we’re gonna go, ‘Spirit, remember them?'” A CNN news article posted on WISHTV.com includes important information for anyone who had plans to travel via Spirit Airlines. ...read more read less