I was inconvenienced by a couple of BIG delays on Spirit about 5 years ago. I swore them off for a while. I recently read that they had improved their "on time" performance significantly so I flew them round trip twice within the last two months. All flights were on time. If you are looking for cheap flights and can travel light, they are worth it. Just be aware of their policies and charges up front. For example; tack on $18 dollars to the advertised round trip flight price because the minimum they charge for a seat assignment is $9 each way.
Spirit Airlines. is it really that bad?
- Thread starter WhyMe
- Start date
- Status
Spirit is great for light traveling and the same is true for Frontier. I'm one of those types that pack a weeks worth of clothes and supplies in a small backpack so for me it's perfect.
I would just bring a couple of nice books and take spirit. Make sure you have a nice meal before leaving. So long as you prepare reasonably Spirit should be a perfectly good airline.
I would just bring a couple of nice books and take spirit. Make sure you have a nice meal before leaving. So long as you prepare reasonably Spirit should be a perfectly good airline.
Originally Posted By: tenderloin
As long as you are wearing what you need...they are cheap and safe. Start adding baggage...No bargain at all
This.. I flew them once and figured out it's hardly cheaper than the main names.
You have to pay for everything, seat selection, carry on, checked bags etc. By the time I added a carry on and checked bag, picked my seat etc it was more expensive than Delta.
As long as you are wearing what you need...they are cheap and safe. Start adding baggage...No bargain at all
This.. I flew them once and figured out it's hardly cheaper than the main names.
You have to pay for everything, seat selection, carry on, checked bags etc. By the time I added a carry on and checked bag, picked my seat etc it was more expensive than Delta.
If United is like Uber masquerading as a faux-luxury service, Spirit is the Greyhound of the skies.
If you've ever complained that the airline seats are too cramped or that they don't give you enough soda or peanuts, then blame the race to the bottom, and Spirit is one of the culprits.
If people keep accepting rock bottom ticket prices, then start expecting rock bottom service and amenities.
If people keep accepting rock bottom ticket prices, then start expecting rock bottom service and amenities.
I wouldn't be able to travel unless discount airlines existed.
We travel home to NY quite frequently and have been taking the direct AUS-BUF flight on Frontier. Uncomfortable, but for $230 you can't beat it.
I just flew frontier from AUS-TPA for $130 RT.
We flew Allegiant from AUS to PIE for $90 each RT.
I have heard Allegiant has had some safety issues so we quit using them.
Southwest is a luxury flight compared to Frontier, Spirt, or Alligiant. Trust me.
We travel home to NY quite frequently and have been taking the direct AUS-BUF flight on Frontier. Uncomfortable, but for $230 you can't beat it.
I just flew frontier from AUS-TPA for $130 RT.
We flew Allegiant from AUS to PIE for $90 each RT.
I have heard Allegiant has had some safety issues so we quit using them.
Southwest is a luxury flight compared to Frontier, Spirt, or Alligiant. Trust me.
Originally Posted By: PimTac
It’s not the airlines, it’s the passengers.
Why not fly Alaska?
Happy power dive from 31,000 feet because of an inadequately serviced horizontal stabilizer jack screw.
It’s not the airlines, it’s the passengers.
Why not fly Alaska?
Happy power dive from 31,000 feet because of an inadequately serviced horizontal stabilizer jack screw.
If you don't mind significant delays or canceled flights or tiny seats, then fly them.
Their on-time record improved because they pad their scheduling even more now. I've picked up people from the airport who flew Spirit, and their flights were always late by 30 minutes to 2.5 hours.
I wouldn't fly Allegiant either. Their CEO is the former CEO of ValuJet. I wouldn't be surprised if he ran the company the same way.
As with everything else in life, you get what you pay for
Their on-time record improved because they pad their scheduling even more now. I've picked up people from the airport who flew Spirit, and their flights were always late by 30 minutes to 2.5 hours.
I wouldn't fly Allegiant either. Their CEO is the former CEO of ValuJet. I wouldn't be surprised if he ran the company the same way.
As with everything else in life, you get what you pay for
Spirit operates a fleet of recent vintage leased Airbus aircraft, so aircraft age and maintenance isn't an issue.
OTOH, Spirit also operates lots of one-off daily non-stops and they have no way of reaccommodating you in the event that a flight gets cancelled for any reason.
SW typically has enough flights from any station as well as enough connection opportunities that they can generally flow you through their system pretty close to your original schedule and this is true of most major carriers, although when rebook time comes, SW is very easy to deal with, unlike the legacies with whom you have no status.
These same legacy carriers also sell bare bones fares that subject you to the same restrictions as Spirit and Frontier including denying the use of the overhead bins or gate checking carryon bags.
Basically, this is like the soup Nazi episode of Seinfeld in that if you do everything right, you end up with the cheap flight you thought you were getting while if you screw up in even the smallest way, well, no soup for you.
Another possibility for those willing to spend a lot of time in transit is to look for bookable flights that involve multiple connections through indirect routings, very long layovers or red-eyes. These flights can often be booked quite cheaply if you use one of the third-party booking sites.
For the record, we don't fly Spirit, Frontier or Allegiant, nor do we spend twelve hours in transit on a thousand or two mile flight, but others of course do.
OTOH, Spirit also operates lots of one-off daily non-stops and they have no way of reaccommodating you in the event that a flight gets cancelled for any reason.
SW typically has enough flights from any station as well as enough connection opportunities that they can generally flow you through their system pretty close to your original schedule and this is true of most major carriers, although when rebook time comes, SW is very easy to deal with, unlike the legacies with whom you have no status.
These same legacy carriers also sell bare bones fares that subject you to the same restrictions as Spirit and Frontier including denying the use of the overhead bins or gate checking carryon bags.
Basically, this is like the soup Nazi episode of Seinfeld in that if you do everything right, you end up with the cheap flight you thought you were getting while if you screw up in even the smallest way, well, no soup for you.
Another possibility for those willing to spend a lot of time in transit is to look for bookable flights that involve multiple connections through indirect routings, very long layovers or red-eyes. These flights can often be booked quite cheaply if you use one of the third-party booking sites.
For the record, we don't fly Spirit, Frontier or Allegiant, nor do we spend twelve hours in transit on a thousand or two mile flight, but others of course do.
Patman
Staff member
Originally Posted By: xfactor9
If you don't mind significant delays or canceled flights or tiny seats, then fly them.
Upgrading to the emergency exit seats is generally only $15 and even the upgrade to the larger seats in the first couple of rows isn't too expensive either (around $50?)
For some reason on our flight to Vegas (which was already free) we ended up getting front row seats as well, even though when we checked in at the airport we did not pay extra for them. Those seats were nice.
If you don't mind significant delays or canceled flights or tiny seats, then fly them.
Upgrading to the emergency exit seats is generally only $15 and even the upgrade to the larger seats in the first couple of rows isn't too expensive either (around $50?)
For some reason on our flight to Vegas (which was already free) we ended up getting front row seats as well, even though when we checked in at the airport we did not pay extra for them. Those seats were nice.
- Status
