DO NOT Fly Spirit Airlines

[h0llywood]

I generally fly Southwest or Delta however Southwest doesn't fly into Minneapolis, MN so I went on Cheaptickets.com and found what seemed to be a deal on Spirit Airlines to purchase two tickets and car rental for 4 days from LAX to MSP.

 

The total came out to be $812.55 which includes taxes and fees so that comes to $406.00 per person which includes the car rental for 4 days. Take out the car rental and i'm looking at around $350.00 per ticket which was about $100.00 lower than the next competitor.

 

Granted I have never heard of Spirit Airlines but was so fixated on the price and immediately booked. Now this was 2 months ago and last night it dawned upon me that neither my wife or I weren't assigned seats.

 

I checked online to read more about Spirit Airlines and I was extremely blown away from what I read.

 

To bring a carry on bag it costs $35.00 per person if I pay for it online before I check in. If I pay for a carry on during online check in, It costs $45.00. If I pay for a check in at the gate, it will cost me $100.00. Assuming I pay now at $35.00 per person round trip, that's an extra $140.00 roundtrip for two people just for checked bags. They have to be the first airlines to charge for a carry on item.

 

For a checked bag, it is $30.00/$45.00/$100. That's an extra $120.00 per person roundtrip to check in our bags. 

 

In total, I will be paying and extra $260.00 for the bags so that brings our grand total to $1,072.55. 

 

So instead of the $350.00 per person I thought I was paying, when it is all said and done I will be spending $536.27 per person.

 

DO NOT FLY SPIRIT AIRLINES!

 

Anyone with any flying tips or other similar stories?

[Porn Shop Clerk]

If it sounds too good to be true....

[Ja Rhule]

Ryan Air wanna bees...

[Cary Kollins]

you are paying for other people's insanely cheap tickets

[Johnny Rockets]

Not the first time this has been brought up...

 

 

 

And here is what I said in that thread and I think it applies here also:

 

You can check a bag for $30 or $35 not $100. The $100 is only if you check the bag at the gate. This is to deter people from getting around paying for a bag buy checking it only when they "accidently" realize that it is too big to fit under the seat.

The $120 to change a flight is cheaper than most other US airlines. Sure it's cheaper to just cancel it and re-book it as you said though.

 

Almost half of Spirits revenue is made up by fees and non ticket revenue and that is how they can be profitable and still sell round trip flights for $25. They are stingent on their rules to protect their profits. It's not like they try to hide any of the charges that you will pay if you need to make changes.

 

You get what you pay for but when I can easily fly to Atlantic City and back for well under $50 roundtrip, I am not going to expect world class service and I realize the risk I am taking if I need to make changes or cancel, but that risk is only the $50 ticket I bought.

 

 

[Brooklyn Bully]

Cheaptickets ... I think I found your problem.

[h0llywood]

To be honest, I never even heard of the damn airline.

 

Given there was a thread about this earlier in the year, I should have known to consult the huddle first before spending my damn money.

[PhillyB]

i've flown them to peru and back without problem, but when my wife flew down there two years later to meet me she got kicked off the flight because they overbooked it and ended up delayed a full day while juggling a six-week-old baby.

 

they get some of the worst feedback among airlines and there's a reason for it.

[h0llywood]

I realized I didn't have a assigned seats until last night when I decided I wanted to fly first class.

 

Of course they don't have first class on the airplane. You have to purchase assigned seats in the general seating area otherwise they will place you in random places and separate your group. If you want to buy front seats which have more leg room then you have to pay extra. And I read somewhere that their toll free customer support number is now gone and you have to call some number and get charged to call them.

 

This company is insane! and I cannot believe there's people out there like myself that give them money 

[h0llywood]

Cheaptickets ... I think I found your problem.

 

I generally search Priceline, Orbitz, expedia, etc., however Cheaptickets was the only ones that offered flight+car rental only (Without the hotel). I stay only at Hyatt Hotels since they have a partnership with MGM Resorts so I get points for staying at all MGM Resort hotels and all Hyatt Hotels.

[Johnny Rockets]

I booked a flight from Concord to Tampa for November on Allegiant and their fee structure is similar to Spirit (baggage, paying for assigned seats, etc.) . Even with the checked baggage my GF and I are still flying roundtrip for $125 per person. US AIR would have been $900 and I am saving $650 by doing that.  

 

Of course I think I we have to load our own luggage, spin the propeller ourselves to start the plane, and most likely have a student for a pilot but you get what you pay for and that's just more beer money for me at the beach.  

 

You just have to know what the extra fees are going in and it is still waaaaay cheaper than flying the major airlines and it works for people. Going through one of those travel sites I guess you are at a disadvantage and don't see the details however.  

[h0llywood]

I think those fees were outlined prior to you purchasing your ticket.... They have an a la carte system and if all your entitled to at the price you paid is a seat on the plane and nothing more.

 

Purchasing through a third party website, we weren't given those options.

[Mvp2014]

Ill say it again. Alaska Airlines

Free alcohol

[MadHatter]

Ryan Air wanna bees...

"It's another successful landing on Ryan Air"