Spirit Airlines, a business so well-known for being cheap that it's fodder for memes, announced Monday that it's filing for bankruptcy. Spirit plans to operate business as usual as it begins to work on its $3.1 billion in long-term debt, according to previous filings.

But if you having upcoming holiday travel that depends on a Spirit booking, or Spirit points you've been planning to redeem, it's natural to be a little concerned. Here's what you need to know.

Why did Spirit file for bankruptcy?

Chapter 11 bankruptcy is not a death sentence for an airline. Unlike complete liquidation, this type of bankruptcy allows Spirit to:

• Restructure its financial obligations

• Continue operating during the bankruptcy process

• Potentially emerge as a more financially stable company

There's plenty of historical precedent on this. Major airlines that have successfully navigated Chapter 11 bankruptcy include American Airlines in 2011, Delta Air Lines in 2005, and United Airlines in 2002.

What does this mean for you?

The good news is that your current flight plans are likely unaffected. Spirit has explicitly stated that it expects to continue normal operations throughout the bankruptcy process, both honoring existing tickets and allowing customers to continue booking new flights. In the same vein, you can continue to earn and use points as you normally would. “Guests can continue to book and fly without interruption and can use all tickets, credits and loyalty points as normal,” the airline said in a release.

What else you can do

To protect yourself during this uncertain period:

• Monitor your flight itinerary closely.

• Check Spirit's official communications regularly.

• Have a backup travel plan, if possible.

• Consider travel insurance for future bookings.

Remember, many airlines have successfully emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy, continuing to serve millions of passengers. While uncertainty exists, there's no immediate need for panic.

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