The union has said that pilots for Florida's Spirit Airlines declared a strike Saturday morning after three years of negotiations failed to produce a new contract.

The South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports a spokesman for the local unit of the Air Line Pilot's Association said Spirit pilots have been instructed to go home.

Company spokeswoman Misty Pinson said agents have been trying to call customers affected by canceled flights.

Pinson said that passengers with Spirit reservations should contact the airline to confirm flight availability.

Hundreds of Spirit passengers were unable to complete trips Friday after the company "pre-canceled" nearly a dozen departures from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport where Spirit is the largest carrier.

It has been reported that the airline and representatives of the pilots union extended contract negotiations past Saturday's 12:01 a. m. strike deadline and were scheduled to meet again later in the day. (With Inputs from Agencies)