Today's sale fares include cheap fares from Fort Lauderdale to Crescent City, Ca(?!) in late January and early February, although the dropdown menus don't list CEC. Strange.
For those wondering like I was, CEC is about halfway between Portland, Oregon and San Francisco, relatively near the Oregon border.
Back online a few hours later, and the sale fare listing for Crescent City to/from Fort Lauderdale is gone. Strange how a sale fare was listed, but not bookable!
Should Spirit name "alternative" airports as their new outposts, they will become the next Skybus, sort of...
Latrobe, Plattsburgh, Niagara Falls, Crescent City (if that is indeed correct)... all not exactly hubs!
Back online a few hours later, and the sale fare listing for Crescent City to/from Fort Lauderdale is gone. Strange how a sale fare was listed, but not bookable!
Should Spirit name "alternative" airports as their new outposts, they will become the next Skybus, sort of...
Latrobe, Plattsburgh, Niagara Falls, Crescent City (if that is indeed correct)... all not exactly hubs!
Wash your mouth out with soap!
It's Southwest that started the model of using alternative airports. ACY is full, full, full as an alternative airport for Spirit. Spirit has no intention of going the Skybus route. They are a profitable airline. Skybus is gone. Spirit is alive!
Can I presume that ALL of Spirit's phone calls are outsourced to Asia (India, I presume)? Needless to say, the customer service received on these calls is not so good -- but probably not a lot worse than what you get when you reach UA's India call center.
I had to call today regarding a schedule change -- they cancelled my nonstop flight and put me on a connecting flight. I preferred to move my flight time to get on another nonstop flight. With a US call center, this would be a VERY simple call. When you reach India, it's never simple. But after repeating what I wanted a few times, and after holding a bit, I got what I wanted.
I really wouldn't expect better service from Spirit (I do expect better service from UA), but having to deal with India does cement my image of Spirit as a second-rate airline.
Last edited by iahphx; Nov 18, 10 at 11:04 am..
Reason: spelling
HRDiva... Whhhoooaaaa!!! Hold on there!!! I am a HUGE fan and supporter of Spirit, a minority if these Flyertalk boards are anything to go by...
I am VERY happy that Spirit is the most profitable airline going, as opposed to the unmitigated disaster that was Skybus.
I LOVE the fact that ACY is a major point of focus for Spirit. But Atlantic City is a destination unto itself, not just an alternative airport for Philadelphia.
I would just hate to see Spirit set up shop at airports that are really remote from the intended destination. Instead of Latrobe, I would have hated to see Spirit choose Dubois' airport to serve Pittsburgh, for example. Having only expensive options to get to the main destination --re: no good public transportation options-- just makes for a more stressful and costly vacation once on the ground.
I meant no harm, HRDiva.
I agree with iahphx, btw, about the call center in India. I could accept it more easily if certain things could be done online, i.e, changes, booking award tickets, etc.
I will defend Spirit to anyone who badmouths it, but I can't lie and say I agree about the Indian call center.
I agree with the call center thing!!!! Im not sure where they are located. It used to be Philapeans(spelling wrong i know!?) Then I heard that call center went out of business, so not sure where it is now...possibly India
Trust me on how I know the call center well... As a F/A we can call to list our selves for the jumpseat, and if the jumpseat is already taken the help desk will list us as regular non-rev..ok no problem. But if we just want to list for regular non-rev from the start we need to call res. In addition if we want to list a parent or anyone else on our benefits we need to call res...it has been a nightmare. Thank GOD!!!! they company just gave us the benefit we should have had for years and that is to list ourselves and our dependants online and check the loads, so the relieves a lot of stress righ there!!!
BTW, just an FYI and Im not sure not much of a help this will be......Ive heard from a few employees, one stated they called the 800# and this guy spoke english all too well...he asked where he was at and he said Florida!!!!!
I have heard now from several people that Spirit has opened a small call center in Port Saint Lucie, FL Now!! whether they are NK employees or outsourced(Im guessing an outsourced company) at least its much easier to talk to them, as english is their first language!!!!! YAY!!!
Now what hours they work is not known to me.....and I have no clue how to get that call center!!!! But If I find out I'll be sure to let you guys know!!!!
What I find funny is when you call res(the out of US agents) they always answer...."THANK YOU FOR CALLING SPIRIT AIRLINES, THIS IS GREG, BRIAN, JAMES.....ETC" all american names LOL And you can tell they read off a script. I was calling to change my mothers non-rev standy by res. and at the end she said...is there anything else I can help you with today??? I said no and she said "THANK YOU FOR CHOOSING SPIRIT AIRLINES FOR YOUR TRAVEL PLANS" so scripted!!!!
As far as the place in CA that was advertised as a sale fare....hmmm interesting. Maybe its a new city that somehow, someone in IT screwed up and it shouldnt have been let out yet?? I have no idea. Thats not a city I have heard....Time will tell, I guess
Skink... My dad has a bag that he tried to somehow pin and/or staple to "lose" 2 inches on the length, but the material was just too thick to make it work. Hopefully you are able to finagle your bag to fit.
The process of trying to outwit Spirit at their own game with the baggage is really the fun of it all; actually taking off on your flight is anticlimactic...
I didn't account for the zipper with my first plan. So instead of taking some off each end I just took off from the side where the zipper ends. This makes for a slightly uneven bag in relation to the handles but not terrible. I pushed in on the outside halfway between the handle strap and the end of the bag. On one side of the crease that this created, I placed a strip of two-sided velcro tape (and then repeated for the other side of the bag). My first thought was to ask someone to sew the bag for me, but the velcro will allow extra room for expansion after getting past the GA and bag sizers for say a couple duty-free bottles.
I understand that Spirit chooses seats randomly. How about passengers that travel with children. Will they try to put us all together, or will they assign one parent to kid and teenager and other pareant will be separate?
I understand that Spirit chooses seats randomly. How about passengers that travel with children. Will they try to put us all together, or will they assign one parent to kid and teenager and other pareant will be separate?
I've travelled as a family of 4 and we've always been assigned 4 seats "together" (3 in one row, 1 across the aisle). Usually in the back, but sometimes in the middle.
Obviously, it would be a good idea to promptly use online check-in in the 24 hour window to secure your seats before all the seats get assigned. I doubt many Spirit pax pay in advance for seat assignments.
As others have noted, it's impossible to find a bag that's 16 x 14 x 12. Those who have used backpacks: what size are the backpacks and where do you find them? I've also thought about using two laptop cases (ea. 16 x 14-ish x 5) and strapping them together with bungee cords. What do you think of this? I've never flown Spirit before, so do you think this would work?
As others have noted, it's impossible to find a bag that's 16 x 14 x 12. Those who have used backpacks: what size are the backpacks and where do you find them? I've also thought about using two laptop cases (ea. 16 x 14-ish x 5) and strapping them together with bungee cords. What do you think of this? I've never flown Spirit before, so do you think this would work?
You're over-thinking it.
Just use a large backback (not trecking large, just large).
Take a tape measure if you want and measure the height. It's not hard to find one around 16" tall. And, with pockets, you'll get pretty close to 14" wide.
Stuff it, and you'll get to about 12" out.
You'll be able to squish it if they measure. But that doesn't seem to be a common practice. The odds of being hassled with a "normal" backpack are a number approaching zero.
BTW, I did get an $8 duffel bag from Sears (I think the link is somewhere in this thread). I like travelling with the backpack better.
Found this topic, registered just to ask this although I've read FT with much interest in the past.
My questions is, my Arc'teryx Blade 30 which has a dimension of 18"x12"x8" has a frame like body. For a fact it will not be compressible to 16" for the length.
I just want to know if my bag would fit under the seat with 1+" sticking out to my leg space or will it completely not fit because it is 16" width, not length?
Flying LAS - LAX if that maters... can get a Saturday flight for $30 all in so paying $30 for luggage makes me wanna gamble $0 or $45 if it is worth gambling
Found this topic, registered just to ask this although I've read FT with much interest in the past.
My questions is, my Arc'teryx Blade 30 which has a dimension of 18"x12"x8" has a frame like body. For a fact it will not be compressible to 16" for the length.
I just want to know if my bag would fit under the seat with 1+" sticking out to my leg space or will it completely not fit because it is 16" width, not length?
Flying LAS - LAX if that maters... can get a Saturday flight for $30 all in so paying $30 for luggage makes me wanna gamble $0 or $45 if it is worth gambling
Welcome to flyertalk, cheahcl.
If I'm understanding your question correctly, you want to know if your slightly oversized carry-on will actually fit under your seat. Honestly, I don't know, but it doesn't really matter. You don't need to store your carry-on under your seat. Just throw it in the overhead bin. It's completely allowed (even though it's sometimes not exactly encouraged). As I mentioned in another thread, there will be plenty of room because passengers bring less luggage because of the fee.
Your real problem will be if they want to put your bag in a sizer. You say it can't be compressed. So they could charge you if they want to. We don't have much data on how often they hassle folks. Bringing a backpack would obviously be a "safer" choice.
iahphx, thanks for the reply. Yeah I'm just hoping it fits under but I guess my biggest worry would be the sizer. It is a backpack... just a slightly bigger one at that... haha I guess I'll take the chance..
