Spirit Airlines fee increase

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

http://money.msn.com/business-news/article.aspx?feed=AP&date=20121001&id=15621484

If you get to the gate and your bag won't fit under the seat prepare to fork over big bucks. $100.

 

[Lewisc]

Spirit lies

Spirit said Monday that its fees pass the cost of handling bags to passengers who bring them rather than raising prices for all customers.

Spirit's cost to handle a carryon "bin" bag is closer to 0 then it is to $100.

 

[Greysword]

Other fees are increasing, as well.

http://www.spirit.com/OptionalFees.aspx

 

[sam_gordon]

Spirit lies

So do many companies. I honestly wish more airlines would do this. Bring a bag that's too big for the bin? Pay a bunch. Now, I'm not talking about bags that won't fit because bins are full of other bags, I'm talking bags that won't fit because they don't meet the measurements.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

So do many companies. I honestly wish more airlines would do this. Bring a bag that's too big for the bin? Pay a bunch. Now, I'm not talking about bags that won't fit because bins are full of other bags, I'm talking bags that won't fit because they don't meet the measurements.

Well if that's what Sprit was doing then I am all for it.

But it's NOT. What they are doing is regardless of the SIZE of your carryon. So my 20" which fits into the bin easily would cost me to carry on and if I wait until the gate to pay its $100 because SOMEHOW Spirit's "cost" of dealing with it went up $50 as I walked through the airport!

 

[sam_gordon]

Well if that's what Sprit was doing then I am all for it.

But it's NOT. What they are doing is regardless of the SIZE of your carryon. So my 20" which fits into the bin easily would cost me to carry on and if I wait until the gate to pay its $100 because SOMEHOW Spirit's "cost" of dealing with it went up $50 as I walked through the airport!

Your OP is misleading. This has nothing to do whether your bag fits or not, it's a question of WHEN you pay the "carry on fee".

From the article...

Passengers who are members of Spirit's $9 Fare Club will be charged $25 for a carry-on bag. Other passengers who pay the fee online will be charged $35 online, $40 over the phone, $50 at the airport ticket counter, and $100 if they get all the way to the gate before declaring their carry-on.

Don't "traditional" airlines do the same thing? If you pay for your bag from home, you pay one amount. If you pay at the airport, it's a higher amount.

Don't get me wrong, I think Spirit's fees are outrageous, but "caveat emptor".

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

Your OP is misleading. This has nothing to do whether your bag fits or not, it's a question of WHEN you pay the "carry on fee".

From the article...


Don't "traditional" airlines do the same thing? If you pay for your bag from home, you pay one amount. If you pay at the airport, it's a higher amount.

Don't get me wrong, I think Spirit's fees are outrageous, but "caveat emptor".

NO! No airline in the US has a comparable fee. I fly weekly. I have a 20" carryon. I am not charged to carry it on ANY carrier I fly (and I fly EVERYONE but Spirit!)

Now if I bring my 25" depending on the airline they may charge more if I don't pay in advance. But the fee does not double if I pay at the gate. I am not saying it shouldn't but it doesn't.

Only Spirit claims it costs extra for me to bring my carry on that is within the size limits. THat's so they can take the "unaware" for a ride. "Gee, Honey we got a great deal on this fare." Then there's the slow nickel and dime until the "great deal" isn't near as great. Spirit depends on folks not to notice the fees and big groups of travelers only see the initial price and hit BUY!

 

[sam_gordon]

NO! No airline in the US has a comparable fee. I fly weekly. I have a 20" carryon. I am not charged to carry it on ANY carrier I fly (and I fly EVERYONE but Spirit!)

I never said other airlines had comparable fees. I said other airlines change the amount the charge you based on WHEN you pay the fee... which is what the article is about.

Only Spirit claims it costs extra for me to bring my carry on that is within the size limits. THat's so they can take the "unaware" for a ride. "Gee, Honey we got a great deal on this fare." Then there's the slow nickel and dime until the "great deal" isn't near as great. Spirit depends on folks not to notice the fees and big groups of travelers only see the initial price and hit BUY!

And again, many companies lie. I will agree Spirit's business plan is cheap seats but lots of fees. Apparently travelers either prefer it or don't do their homework. If it's the latter, they shouldn't raise a stink to Spirit, it's their own fault for not finding out the true cost.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I agree with Sam. It's not as if Spirit is trying to hide any of this from its customers. There are links at the top of the home page for, among other things, the $9 Club, Optional Fees, and New Bag Fees.

I'm doing a dummy booking and at the top of the flight selection box in standard size font is a message stating "Fares listed are per person, are non-refundable and include all taxes and fees. Additional fees for baggage, advance seat assignments and any changes may apply." (accent color may be off - you work with what you've got ).

Now, Spirit would be a really bad choice for me for my next trip because the one way fare with one carry on and one checked bag is about $5 less than my current round trip on jetBlue. And that's without seat selection. I didn't go further in the booking process because I forget my log-in - but I trust the site to remind me of the fees again during the booking process. So people who claim they didn't know generally don't have an excuse, especially if they bought the tickets themselves.

 

[LBIJim]

http://money.msn.com/business-news/article.aspx?feed=AP&date=20121001&id=15621484

If you get to the gate and your bag won't fit under the seat prepare to fork over big bucks. $100.

In an article earlier this week in the Atlantic City Press, a Spirit spokeswoman says the high $100 fee for gate checking is meant to be a deterrent to last second checking. She further hinted that it is indeed a penalty for those who are trying to skirt Spirit's carry-on bag policy. No, it doesn't cost Spirit that much extra to process a carry-on bag fee at the gate.

Most people know damn well their oversize carry-ons won't fit under the seat. It's these cheapskates and DYKWIA's that the $100 fee is aimed at. I say good for Spirit. Pay up or get off the plane and walk.

DYKWIA-Do You Know Who I Am---self important fliers who think the policies don't apply to them.

Jim

 

[tspooh]

Well said!

We are flying Spirit over Easter. They were about $300 cheaper per person. We are checking one bag ($28) and I am carrying a personal item that fits under the seat. I checked the dimensions on their website.

I, too, think it's great that they are socking it to the "special" people. It's pretty easy to follow the rules

 

[sam_gordon]

In an article earlier this week in the Atlantic City Press, a Spirit spokeswoman says the high $100 fee for gate checking is meant to be a deterrent to last second checking. She further hinted that it is indeed a penalty for those who are trying to skirt Spirit's carry-on bag policy. No, it doesn't cost Spirit that much extra to process a carry-on bag fee at the gate.

Most people know damn well their oversize carry-ons won't fit under the seat. It's these cheapskates and DYKWIA's that the $100 fee is aimed at. I say good for Spirit. Pay up or get off the plane and walk.

DYKWIA-Do You Know Who I Am---self important fliers who think the policies don't apply to them.

Jim

I'm confused. According to the original article, the $100 fee is for CARRY ON bags, it says nothing about "gate checking".

Passengers who are members of Spirit's $9 Fare Club will be charged $25 for a carry-on bag. Other passengers who pay the fee online will be charged $35 online, $40 over the phone, $50 at the airport ticket counter, and $100 if they get all the way to the gate before declaring their carry-on.

So is the article wrong?

 

[LBIJim]

I'm confused. According to the original article, the $100 fee is for CARRY ON bags, it says nothing about "gate checking".

So is the article wrong?

Sorry for the confusion. The OP's link mentioned the $100 fee for last minute payment of carry on bags only. No, that article isn't wrong. The justification for the high fee in that article is whatever Spirit spun that day.

I carelessly used the term "gate checking" when referring to the above situation. Of course, "gate checking" is a different concept.

In the article that I read ( sorry, cannot find an online link) a different Spirit spokeswoman gave the "deterrent" and "disincentive" justifications. She also indicated that BOTH last minute carry on payment AND gate checking of bags to be carried in the cargo hold will be subject to the $100 fee.

Again, sorry for the mistake.

Jim

 

[Lewisc]

Industry standard is free use of overhead bins. Industry standard is 50 lbs limit for checked bags.

I suspect many of the "special" passengers are people who don't take the time to read all the terms and conditions. How many people have read the terms and conditions on ebay, itunes, your cell phone contract etc. Some people have an expectation a business is following industry standards.

I agree most people know how Spirit operates but don't assume everyone who doesn't pay until they get to the gate is trying to beat Spirit out of a fee.

How many people realize Spirit charges the carryon fee per flight segment?

Spirit is moving as much of the total cost of flying away from what they're required to display when listing fares.

 

[DebbieB]

So do many companies. I honestly wish more airlines would do this. Bring a bag that's too big for the bin? Pay a bunch. Now, I'm not talking about bags that won't fit because bins are full of other bags, I'm talking bags that won't fit because they don't meet the measurements.

I agree. I don't understand why airlines let passengers get away with bringing on bags that are too big. They are losing checked bag fees. Plus many times people whose bags are within regulation are forced to gate check because others took bin space with their too big bags.

I witnessed someone on Delta whose bag would not fit in the overhead top to bottom because she had it stuffed so full. It had to be a 26". She was holding up boarding trying to squeeze it in. Finally she took it down, opened it and started taking stuff out. The FA provided a bag. Then 2 guys helped her squeeze it in. They should have forced her to gate check and charged her. It's not fair to everyone else who followed the rules and paid.