Ultra-Budget Airlines E.g. Spirit Air

[jyl]

I read about Spirit Airlines.

Apparently this is an ultra-budget airline whose model is to have a very low fare - for example, if the competition on a route costs $150, Spirit's basic fare might be $100 - but then provide nothing but a seat and charge for everything. A checked bag costs $28-38, a boarding pass printed at the airport costs $5 (you can print your own at home for free), using an overhead bin costs $25 (but the underseat space is free), water on board costs $3 (but you can drink from the lavatory tap for free). They removed the reclining mechanism from the seats to squeeze in 40 more seats per aircraft. They have very short turnaround times, fly at inconvenient hours, have the poorest on-time service. The CEO is looking at how to charge for use of the tray table, over light, etc. The model is inspired by European ultra-budget airlines like Ryanair, which even charge for using the lavatory. They see their competition as Greyhound.

Thoughts? Have you flown Spirit? Would you? Why/why not?

[VINMAN]

Ive flown Spirit a shyteload of times since their inception. used to be great. but now the quality and service has severly degraded. Now they make up for the low fares by raping you with add-on costs. But then again that is becoming a trend with most other airlines also.

[Joeaksa]

Used to love them but no more. Will not fly them even if they were free...

[jyl]

What's gotten worse/different about Spirit, that made you guys swear them off after once liking them? I'm really curious about this, other airlines see Spirit as a big success and some are thinking of copying them.

[Joeaksa]

Originally Posted by jyl

What's gotten worse/different about Spirit, that made you guys swear them off after once liking them? I'm really curious about this, other airlines see Spirit as a big success and some are thinking of copying them.

Complete and total lack of customer service. Cattle herded onto a semi-truck are taken care of better than with Spirit. I believe that they even charge now for using the potty now.

Sorry but I just will not support companies like this...

[rouxroux]

HAve used RyanAir for quick hops in Europe. Do I enjoy the flights? NO, but you can put up with alot for their cheap fares and short flights. Like it has been said, they are nothing but commuter buses.

[imladris]

About 2 weeks back, Fox & Friends did a story on Spirit. Seems a retired career Marine suffering from cancer had been using Spirit to commute monthly to wherever he was undergoing a specialized treatment.

He bought and booked his tix well in advance. Unfortunately, the hospital changed one of his treatment dates at the last minute and he had to change his flight. Spirit's position was tough ! No refund, no credit, go book another ticket. He fought it without success for several months. Fox couldn't get Spirit to ante up the $ 139.00.

Broadcast crew on the Fox & Friends set passed the hat and handed the guy his money which he said would go to Wounded Warriors.

Now, you decide whether Spirit is where you want to spend your travel dollars.

[motion]

I fly Allegiant every couple/few weeks and they are much like Spirit. I LOVE them and am very thankful I can fly them so cheaply. I can suffer through a 2 hour flight (direct) to save $300-$400, thanks.

[Tishabet]

Similar concept in my neck of the woods with AirAsia. Cheapest flights but you pay extra for absolutely everything... Still a great deal if you know what you are in for.

They also own a hotel chain called Tune with the same model... Cheap and in good locations, but everything from towels to a hair dryer to AC is extra. Again, as long as you are aware that this is the model it is actually not bad.

[Laneco]

I've never flown Spirit, but have flown Ryanair.

Hell will freeze over to a solid block of glacial ice before I fly that airline again.

Sat in the plane almost a full hour and a half because pre-flight paperwork had not been completed. Not sure what this is, but apparently it is made from the skin of a Virgin, and delivered by flying monkeys. Because it is REAL hard to obtain.

On landing in Cancun, no gate was available. 45 plus minutes in tropical heat baking out on the tarmac. This problem may have been related to the delayed departure.

For the return leg, the flight crew was out of hours when they arrived in Cancun. So Ryanair left the entire plane load of people at the airport with absolutely no information as to departure time. They just kept saying "another 20 minutes..." when they knew full well that the flight crew could not bring us home. No one had luggage as it was all checked. Some very unhappy customers with very bitter complaints. After several hours of this, Ryanair had a bus pick us up and drop us off in the Hotel district with instructions to meet the bus in 5or 6 hours to return to the airport. So there we all are, dressed for travel to the states, in a tropical area (no luggage) with not enough time to really go do anything and grossly overdressed to enjoy the beach.

Hope your experience with Spirit is better than mine/ours with Ryanair.

angela

[BE911SC]

I say it all the time (as an airline employee): This is what "low cost" looks like. When the industry was regulated it was steak and lobster in First Class and free drinks (booze) and pretty young women in elegant (or revealing) uniforms. Let the giant hand of the free market have its way and every little thing becomes a cost that must be controlled--or somehow passed on to the customer. These niggling little charges add up baby! A dollar here, a dollar there and pretty soon we're talking real money! We demand cheap air travel while at the same time feeling entitled to some higher level of pampering and comfort akin to the old days. But air travel has gone from glamourous to democratized--made accessible to the masses thanks to carriers like Southwest and Spirit. Don't despair, the free market has spoken so throw on your shorts, tank-top and flip-flops and fly to Vegas for the weekend! It's what low-cost looks like!

[red-beard]

It could be worse. One of the Indian Airlines was flying to Europe and had to make a stop for fuel. They had to collect money from the passengers to pay cash, since they no longer had fuel credit at that airport!

[Laneco]

Originally Posted by BE911SC

... Don't despair, the free market has spoken so throw on your shorts, tank-top and flip-flops and fly to Vegas for the weekend! It's what low-cost looks like!

No.

I simply will not travel like that through any public area (airport, etc). Casual is fine, but people wear PAJAMAS to the airport now...


angela

[BE911SC]

Originally Posted by Laneco

No.

I simply will not travel like that through any public area (airport, etc). Casual is fine, but people wear PAJAMAS to the airport now...

Quick side story: My pilot group blundered into a massive pay cut in 2005, 20% for captains and 33% for first officers. The next day a first officer showed up to his annual simulator training checkride in a t-shirt, shorts and flip-flops (we usually dress 'corporate casual' while on company property). The evaluator was somewhat taken aback and the first officer's response was, "Hey, this is what low cost looks like." The checkride was administered and the F.O. passed without further discussion.

[red-beard]

Originally Posted by Laneco

No.

I simply will not travel like that through any public area (airport, etc). Casual is fine, but people wear PAJAMAS to the airport now...


angela

I am surprised we are not being asked to wear hospital johnnies to fly...

[gprsh924]

I would only fly spirit if there was a very large cost savings associated, and that has not been the case on any recent flights. For Vegas next weekend, it would have only saved me $50 round trip compared to what I paid on southwest. But I still wold have had to pay for my bag in the overhead. And the flight times were terrible. Simply not worth it.

[71 3.0 911]

Winning..... hahahaha I hate low fare airlines. I would rather pay and not have to deal with the onslaught of people cramming their fat asses into the jetway in a stampede once the stewardess takes the microphone to announce boarding. Grrrr....

[rattlsnak]

Funny thing. I just made it to the second round of the interview process at Spirit.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

They try to make me pay to use a toilet and I swear I'll drop a steamer in the vomit bag for 'em instead.

Everything has to have practical limits. That's way, way beyond mine. I wouldn't fly on an airline like that. No way, I don't care what the cost savings. Maybe that's snobby but I want a few basic things like a seat that isn't falling apart or horribly uncomfortable, the ability to relax/zone a bit, use of a toilet, etc. I don't mind having to pay for food or beverages - I pack snacks anyway.

Price point is NOT the only consideration. Maybe someday people will wake up and start realizing that...

[imcarthur]

Originally Posted by rattlsnak

Funny thing. I just made it to the second round of the interview process at Spirit.

You gotta make a living . . .

I am loyal to Air Canada. I refuse to fly discounts after an experience that was actually worse than Angela's. And besides, the loyalty programs make you feel 'special'. Or maybe we just like to think so . . .

Ian