csdripps

I just booked my first flight on Spirit PHL-MYR round trip in August. The price was $285 (for 2 people and 1 checked bag). That should be our final all in cost. The US Air non-stops were minimum $430. I figure for $145, I can handle a 90 minutes flight on NK.

I've read the angry reviews, but I've read up on all the 'optional fees' and I'm pretty sure I won't be spending any more money on this flight. I didn't really know much about NK until I bought this ticket. NK showed up on an ITA Matrix search and was ridiculously lower than anyone else. My reaction wasn't excitement, but cynicism. Anytime a company is selling something well below market price, the consumer should immediately ask "what's the catch?" After factoring in 1 checked bag and still seeing NK would be that much cheaper, I booked. I think any consumer that gets caught by the bag fees partially has themselves to blame.

I love the marketing wording on their optional fees web page BTW. "We empower customers to save money on air travel by offering ultra low base fares with a range of optional services for a fee..."

RustyC

Calling the "passenger usage fee" optional is a bit of a stretch, as it's only avoidable by ticketing at the airport, and they're definitely not set up at airports to sell tickets (limited hours, people not trained for it, possibly having sellouts by then or missing other discounts). It's the TicketMaster model where you're expected to pay for the convenience of not having to buy at the box office, even though technology has long since passed the point where that should be a premium (not unlike the phone company charging extra for touch-tone for years after it was standard for their switches)

Thanks to a more consumer-friendly DOT, though, they can't use the PUF for the original purpose, i.e. bait you with the $9 fare and then hide it until you get an all-in total that's higher than expected. So it's at least easier to compare that part.

Also, standardizing only a rucksack (about half the capacity of a rolling carry-on) is a stretch, analogous perhaps to advertising a daily rate for a car in large type and then saying you get 5 free miles a day. Neither scenario is based on a realistic assessment of actual bare minimums for the traveling experience. But then, seeing things from the traveler's view isn't something the top management really cares that much about: They invent the fee and then work backwards on trying to justify it.

However, thanks to the cartel behavior of legacy airlines like US, Spirit has great opportunities now to add and fill flights. The legacy carriers keep cutting capacity even as demand recovers, all to boost fares. Anyone who can add aircraft and add routes can be a real spoiler there.

MrKendall

I'm thinking about a fun day adventure myself.

I'm torn between a RT flight on Spirit or a Tabasco Sauce enema with my butt cheeks super-glued shut.

protagonist

It's a shame, really. When they started out they offered great deals. I flew from BOS and ACY to FLL with them a number of times for $30-40 total RT, usually on-time, no problems with luggage, and ACY was a pleasure to fly out of....you can almost park at the curb in front of the entrance!! They were quite popular in their heyday. I think Ryanair was a great deal at the beginning as well.

Now I have close to 50K miles in Spirit's program that are hard to even give away!!!

homeboy4

I booked a RT flight LAX to LAS today -- like the OP -- for the fun of it to see what Spirit is like. I figure I can put up with anything for 45 minutes.

Neuroid

I don't understand the animosity toward Spirit. I live in Charleston (about 1.5 hours from MYR) and take NK whenever it's the cheapest option (factoring in gas and parking fees [MYR just went up to $9 a day]) available -- and it often is, not just by $25 or $50 ... more like $200-300+.

RT fares I've booked into (all from MYR) this year ... AI:

BOS = $125
FLL = $75
BWI = $68
PBG = $87

All flights were direct and on-time. The planes are clean, often only 30-50% full, attendants courteous, boarding and deplaning processes quick and efficient.

Yes, some outbound segments leave in the wee hours.
Yes, the cheap fares bring the cheap skates (and their families.)
Yes, the pitch is tight, but the seats don't recline so everybody is created equally.
Yes, their FF/loyalty program is for the dogs.
Yes, you actually have to print your boarding pass at home or at the hotel.
Yes, you have to pack light(er) unless you want to be dinged for more $$$.

But those are all sacrifices that I am readily willing to make to save a few skrills. I know some FTers have to have their free ginger ale, 1 carry-on, or the infinitesimal chance of an upgrade, but I have no issue embracing the concept of NO FRILLS when it is applied as boldly and as correctly as Spirit does it.

Also, FWIW, those comparing Spirit to RyanAir/EasyJet/Thomas Cook et al. most likely have never flown with those particular discount carriers. Spirit is like Cathay in comparison to those back alley-ish airlines.

berlinflyer83

Have you actually flown EasyJet? The fact that you lump them in the same group as RyanAir says probably not...

Nothing back alley about EasyJet. Up front prices, they do exactly what they say for the price, and you actually get a normal carry on...

Neuroid

Not to digress too much from the topic at hand, but I am a huge fan of EasyHotel.

EasyJet? Honestly, no, I don't think it's in the same class as Spirit in terms of product or service. Better than RyanAir? Yeah, for sure.

But if it would make you feel better I can remove EasyJet from my list of back-alley discount carriers.