Spirit Airlines grounds flights through Wednesday

A pilots strike has forced Spirit Airlines to cancel all of its flights through Wednesday affecting about 16,000 people a day, the company said Monday.

Spirit hasn't flown since pilots went on strike Saturday, and it extended the grounding Monday through Wednesday because of a disagreement over salaries. 

After nearly four years, the Florida-based airline and its pilots have failed to reach a contract agreement on a pay increase. 

Spirit said the pilots union "turned down a compounded average 29 percent pay increase costing the company an additional $70 million over five years, net of productivity improvements agreed to by the pilots," according to a statement on its website. 

"This 29 percent pay increase when combined with annual step increases totals a 47 percent increase in annual compensation over five years, prior to any overtime pay, signing bonus and 401(k) matching contribution increases," the airline said in a statement. 

Spirit is offering customers a credit for all tickets and a $100 credit for future travel.