Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy refuted suggestions that Spirit Airlines was forced to shut down due to rising fuel prices. Duffy stated that the airline was in dire financial straits long before the Iran war and that the war was not the impetus. Spirit Airlines has announced it is ending its global operations, effective immediately. The airline filed for bankruptcy twice in the last year. The war with Iran has put a significant strain on global energy prices, leading to a spike in gasoline and jet fuel. Several budget airlines have requested a $2.5 billion bailout from the Trump administration during this period of heightened fuel costs.