Budget Travel - $0 base fare on Spirit

So spirit is having another one of their sales lots of flights for less then $20 each way (based on rt)

The interesting thing is that you can use their '50OFF' code (really $40) to lower the price, normally this is reserved for flight that are more expensive. So any flight listed for $20 or less is free. All you have to pay is tax.

Wonder if any of the solvent airlines will PM? :D

What is a solvent airline?

Wonder if any of the solvent airlines will PM? :D

What is a solvent airline?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solvency

Just booked LGA/MYR for $22.70 A/I. Thanks ClimbGuy.

ORD-MYR is about $16 ai... too bad the days don't work for me.

what are travel and booking dates for the sale?

Sale's gone, though the same or similar combo may work for future sales. I had gotten in on this from a cybercafe in BKK for $21.20 RT a-i ATL-FLL-ATL, same day turnaround on a Wednesday (was "late" to catch it so certain other days were sold out).

Spirit is starting to "train" me to even pass by the $9 fares (about $39 RT a-i to FLL) unless those fares are on plum dates (like Fri-Sun), in which case you really have to pounce quickly (hint: If you find out about the sale via e-mail you might be too late already).

BTW, I got $14 (about $28.50 a-i) via PL on the single-day car rent on the Wednesday through Alamo, which is usually do-able but not assured. Did a single-dayer not too long ago entirely on public transit in FLL for $3 total land costs and was generally pleased. March isn't too bad a month for that strategy because what's left of spring break generally provides enough scenery to enliven the beachside bars.

you missed that sale by a few days. Spirit is constantly having sales, they all range in value and last anywhere for half a day to about about two days. I try to check their website twice a day to see what they are offering.

I found a r/t from Atlantic City to Panama during my spring break for $235 a/i and includes a voucher for ~160 to book another flight after i fly to panama.

what are travel and booking dates for the sale?

I hate Spirit. I detest some of the specific management there, for things they pulled at US before they left. And for their attempts at viral marketing on Flyertalk. But they do sell some cheap tickets, and come up with creative marketing.

So does anyone else think that there is a flaw with this business model?

I have my first flight on Spirit later this month. I am not trying to defend them, but could you please provide some details about the problems you have with their management?

I hate Spirit. I detest some of the specific management there, for things they pulled at US before they left. And for their attempts at viral marketing on Flyertalk. But they do sell some cheap tickets, and come up with creative marketing.

I hate Spirit. I detest some of the specific management there, for things they pulled at US before they left. And for their attempts at viral marketing on Flyertalk. But they do sell some cheap tickets, and come up with creative marketing.

I think they largely avoid TV, radio and newspaper ads, at least in ATL. OTOH, if they price low enough they don't really need to advertise, and the $9 sales are clearly aimed at unloading seats that'd go empty otherwise.

OTOH, Baldanza got to do the mileage credit his way (just 50% RDM on the low fares, plus a very aggressive expiration policy), and it's a real dud as far as incentivizing additional business via the FF program. About the only way to make it palatable is to take the credit card, but many people can't (preumably they don't hand them out like candy anymore) or won't.

And for their attempts at viral marketing on Flyertalk.

When was this?

So does anyone else think that there is a flaw with this business model?

I've given it a fair amount of thought, as I'm a somewhat frequent flyer to FLL on their $9 and less fares from ATL. Am self-employed in an area with a lot of hours but some flexibility to "bend" them around an oddball booking (like Tuesday outbound, Wednesday return on a week's notice), making it an ideal situation for pouncing on their deals.

I'll scrupulously avoid any of the add-on fees, having never paid to check any luggage and certainly not to reserve the seat. But people traveling together or on a real vacation (rather than my usual 1-2 day trips) may not have such flexibility.

So how do they make money? I think the most-preferred customer is someone going to an onward Caribbean or Central American destination. The flight schedules from ATL look optimized for that. The super-duper sales never apply to anywhere but FLL from ATL; for a place like CUN or SXM or LIM the fare will still be lower than anyone else, but not a spectacular bargain. And people going to those places are likely to need to purchase checked bags (more revenue). Lately they also get preferential treatment in being able to carry on bags (Spirit often forces passengers at the last minute to gate-check even carry-ons that fit).

If the "best" customers can't fill the plane, second-best is people flying to FLL but needing specific dates (one or both of which may not be sale dates). Cruise-ship passengers are a good example there. Or people with inflexible vacations that have to fly on peak dates. Those are the ones who may see $200+ RTs on other airlines and book Spirit for $150 RT plus junk fees. They'll save a little but not a lot.

Third-best are probably sale-motivated people who get the sale fare on one leg but not the other. The ATL-FLL RT might be just under $100 a-i and would be a decent deal vs. alternatives.

Bottom of the barrel are ones like me who only go if they get the sale fare on both legs, and who avoid all the other unbundled costs. Usually, though, seat availability outside midweek can be scarce.

Spirit also seems to be dabbling in the classic "under-served market" strategy with its ACY and MYR flights. And borrowing ideas from JetBlue, Ryan Air and others.

Would seem that if you really wanted to get their goat, buy a $9 ticket on both legs to FLL for, say, a week, and buy a second sale ticket from FLL to, say, CUN, and nest it within those dates.

No, they pick really odd days for the really really low fairs and require r/t purchase. So odds are a pax will be attracted by a $19 or $9 ticket, and end up booking a $19 o/w and a $89 the other. A lot of people will pay for a seat assignment $12 window or aisle, $7 middle, and $20 exit row. I would never pay this, but I know a lot of people who like the idea of having a seat booked in advance and are willing to pay for it. Then there are checked baggage fees first bag is $15 online or $25 at the airport. Then they charge for food/drinks on the flight. In addition you need to be a member of their $9 club to get the lowest ticket price. The membership cost $39.99 a year, so that is money in the bank for them. Plus once someone buys the membership they feel compelled to book on spirit to make use of it.

So for a lot of pax a $19 ticket price works out to something like this for a party of two:

Sale ticket for o/w $19 x2=$38
the other way $89 x2=$178
seat assignment (1 window, 1 middle) $19
checked bag fees (2 bags r/t) $60
food on the flight (2 sodas and a bag of m&ms each way) $18

Total: $313

Also i think their use of alternate airports helps them fly an extra flight a day because they are less prone to ATC delays and such.

So does anyone else think that there is a flaw with this business model?