Another frustrated airline traveler *UPDATE*

[LisaR]

I have four round trip, non-stop tickets on Spirit booked for next month. I just went online and discovered they changed our return flight. It isn't non-stop now and there will be a 5 hour layover! We could drive home in 2.5 hours from the layover airport instead of sitting around for 5 hours waiting to take a 45 minute plane ride. However, our vehicle will be at the airport we originally departed from so that won't work.

I called Spirit and was told I could go online and modify my reservation without any fees since they changed the flight. There is currently one non-stop flight available. I went online but it wouldn't work.

I called back and the agent looked up the reservation and said because it was a promotional ticket, I couldn't make any changes. The best she could offer me was an email address so I could state my case.

Any clue what Spirit normally does in this situation? I sent off an email but it is just driving me crazy waiting for an answer. Any guesses as to how they handle this?

 

[CarolA]

Well... you aren't going to like this, but...

I expect you are stuck with what they moved you to. One of the big risks of Sprit (IMHO) is the fact that they don't do customer service and thier policies are somewhat stricter then the avg airline.

How good was your "promotional" fare? That's going to make a difference. If you have a really cheap fare and Spirit thinks they can sell that non stop at a lot more money I think you odds of getting what you want just went down.

 

[LittleStinkerbelle]

Sorry that happened. I don't have any experience with Spirit, but if I were you and I couldn't get another flight that works I'd find out which rental car agencies have locations at both airports and get a one way rental car to drive from the connecting airport to the airport where your car is. Just make sure Spirit will change your ticket so you're ending in the connecting city so your luggage will be there.

 

[CarolA]

A couple of other thoughts.

On the one way way rental. Spirit MAY only agree to check you luggage to your final destination. I just read a post on flyetalk where the traveler was traveling from someplace to one airiport on a ticket that actually went on to another ariport because it was cheaper!. The plan was for her to just get off in the intermeidate city and not get on the Atlanta flight. Unfortunately, the overheads were full and her carry on was gate checked to Atlanta. Wound up costing a good amount of money to get the luggage back. (And NEVER do this on the flights TO your destination. If you find a deal for example from your home town to Tampa connecting in Orlando unless it is SW do NOT get off in Orlando. You won't have a flight home!)

 

[philliesflyers]

Same thing happened on our return flight on Spirit. We had a direct flight now we have a 3 hour layover. I hear good and bad stuff about Spirit but right now all airlines are changing flights.

When I called they told us we would have to pay the difference in $ for our flight home if we wanted to change it. Well, since we got our flights for $42 one way I don't think we will change.

 

[LisaR]

Thanks everyone. It has been 48 hours and I still haven't heard back from Spirit. I am losing faith.

Our total price per ticket, including one piece of pre-purchased luggage and seats for everyone was $138 each.

Renting a car and driving wouldn't be an option. We would have to drive the 2.5 hours home, drop the kids off and drive another hour to the airport to get our van and luggage and drive home. Between the price of the rental car, gas, tolls and dropping off a rental car at a different location fee, it wouldn't be worth it. In addition, our "new" flight isn't getting in until 7:30PM so we wouldn't get home until 12:30 in the morning with all the driving. While I am a night person, my husband would fall asleep at the wheel.

In defense of Spirit, I fly with them all the time and honestly have never had a problem. I understand all the airlines are making changes but if I can't go non-stop, I want a refund. I have a son with some medical problems and this layover plus arriving home late, has disaster written all over it. You'll be reading about us in the paper when we get kicked off the plane!

 

[CarolA]

I think you are really going to have a hard time. I am sorry about this, but I have NEVER read of Spirit giving a refund for a flight change.

And with the fares you paid I doubt they will change you. Hopefully I am wrong but....

 

[Lewisc]

I think you are really going to have a hard time. I am sorry about this, but I have NEVER read of Spirit giving a refund for a flight change.

And with the fares you paid I doubt they will change you. Hopefully I am wrong but....

Actually Spirit is one of the few airlines that, under the terms of their CoC, offers a refund over a schedule change as small as 30 minutes.

Customers involved in a Spirit Airlines initiated cancellation or schedule change in excess of 30 minutes will have three (3) options available to them, re-accommodation, future flight credit, or a refund.

I

You don't read much about refunds because most DIS aren't able to book airfare on other airlines for anything close to what they paid Spirit. A refund won't get to Orlando.

 

[CarolA]

Actually Spirit is one of the few airlines that, under the terms of their CoC, offers a refund over a schedule change as small as 30 minutes.



I

You don't read much about refunds because most DIS aren't able to book airfare on other airlines for anything close to what they paid Spirit. A refund won't get to Orlando.

WOW! That's a shock. Considering thier customer service model that's pretty good!

Glad to hear it.

Yeah, the OP's trip is probably in real danger. THat fare was VERY VERY low and you aren't going to get that for a flight in another month!

 

[LittleStinkerbelle]

Renting a car and driving wouldn't be an option. We would have to drive the 2.5 hours home, drop the kids off and drive another hour to the airport to get our van and luggage and drive home. Between the price of the rental car, gas, tolls and dropping off a rental car at a different location fee, it wouldn't be worth it.

You may find that the rental car option is more cost-effective than rebooking a non-stop on another airline (sounds like you really need/want a non-stop and Spirit doesn't have one that works for you). Although if you're like us, you may be willing to pay a lot more to rebook--that's what we had to do when our AirTran flight turned into a connection. We ended up paying double to rebook with SWA. But it's not as bad as it sounds because we had a dirt cheap fare on AT, so double was still doable.

Hope it all works out

 

[LittleStinkerbelle]

On the one way way rental. Spirit MAY only agree to check you luggage to your final destination.

I was thinking that they could switch her flight to the connecting city as the final destination. Don't know if they would or not but worth an ask. But if not, I agree about the luggage. That would be a mess!

 

[LisaR]

I should note that this trip was only to go back to our home town to visit family and friends. While I would like to see everyone, it wouldn't be the end of the world for me to cancel. If it was a true vacation, I would be upset but I will see most of these people when they come visit us at the end of the year.

Non-stop is really essential for us. There is too much to chance with driving home from the layover airport. I really can't imagine the airline getting the luggage situation straight.

Thanks Lewisc for the CoC info. That gave me hope!

 

[banjobears]

I had the same thing happen to me with Delta. On my way home I had an evening flight scheduled that was cancelled, and was put on an earlier flight that now gives me a 5 hour layover in CVG. I think this is happening on many flights.

October 15-23, 2008 next trip to Disney World​

 

[LisaR]

UPDATE!
It has been 7 days since I originally emailed Spirit. I have called back once and was again told they couldn't do anything over the phone.

DH is ticked that we haven't heard anything so he picks up the phone and calls Spirit. I am telling him he won't get anywhere. He simply tells the guy that our flight was changed and he wants to get put back on a non-stop flight. The guy does it at no charge! Then entire phone conversation was about 2 minutes long. Seriously though, I think someone is going to be out of a job over this. There was a $150 difference in the price of one ticket and there are four of us. I did receive the email confirmation so I am happy. I am still not overly optimistic. They will probably change this flight before we leave.

 

[goofy4tink]

UPDATE!
It has been 7 days since I originally emailed Spirit. I have called back once and was again told they couldn't do anything over the phone.

DH is ticked that we haven't heard anything so he picks up the phone and calls Spirit. I am telling him he won't get anywhere. He simply tells the guy that our flight was changed and he wants to get put back on a non-stop flight. The guy does it at no charge! Then entire phone conversation was about 2 minutes long. Seriously though, I think someone is going to be out of a job over this. There was a $150 difference in the price of one ticket and there are four of us. I did receive the email confirmation so I am happy. I am still not overly optimistic. They will probably change this flight before we leave.

I'm glad your dh got them to change you to another acceptable flight. I will say that I have had Delta cancel my almost completely full flight and combine it with another flight, also almost at capacity. When I called to see what I could do to change out of that flight, I was actually able to get on a different flight, also non-stop, that was about $125 more expensive, per person. In fact, it was the flight I really had wanted to begin with, but the price was just too expensive. Evidently others felt the same way because both the cheaper flights, at yucky times, got filled up. Still can't figure out why they cancelled a full flight and tried to combine it with another almost full flight. I'm sure a lot of others got on the same flight I did.

 

[bashful4u]

The same thing happened to us. Spirit changed our direct flight departing Orlando and put us on a flight with a 5 hour lay over.

UPDATE!
DH is ticked that we haven't heard anything so he picks up the phone and calls Spirit. I am telling him he won't get anywhere. He simply tells the guy that our flight was changed and he wants to get put back on a non-stop flight. The guy does it at no charge! Then entire phone conversation was about 2 minutes long.

....And my DH did the same thing!!! Although he was on hold for about 45 mins, the customer service rep was very nice, helpful, and efficient. He made the changes to a later direct flight with no extra charges. I don't anticipate any more changes prior to our trip. (Keeping my fingers crossed)