Spirit Airlines Says: "Don't Fly With Us"

[lugnut33]

I can't believe they have added a new "carry-on baggage fee". I'm sure all the major airlines will be looking to do the same real soon also (except maybe Southwest).

So, Spirit Airlines will be charging $45 for a carry-on bag if it's too large to fit under the seat. However it's $30 if you add it before you get to the airport. New policy begins August 1st.

Moral of this story, DO NOT FLY SPIRIT AIRLINES!!!


(I'm going to jump up on my soapbox now)

I totally blame all these fees on the airline travelers themselves. As these fees have been added over and over the travelers have accepted them. Sure they groan about them, but they still fly. Heck, there are some people on this board who are happy to pay the fees because they never check baggage. Well guess what, now they are going to get you also. Enjoy.

For those who don't believe me, where's the link:
http://www.spiritair.com/Policiesbags.aspx

 

[Hannathy]

Sorry but I like it! It is getting very dangerous to fly with all the overly stuffed, overly heavy things people have been cramming into the overheads. If there is bad turbulent and the bins open (which is even more likely because they aren't closed properly due to cramming in cases) someone is going to get killed when those heavy cases start falling. Add in the time it is adding to gate time while people try to find places for it all and folks getting hit while they are trying to lift it in there!

I like ala carte flying. Then you only pay for what you want and find important.

 

[lugnut33]

Sorry but I like it! It is getting very dangerous to fly with all the overly stuffed, overly heavy things people have been cramming into the overheads. If there is bad turbulent and the bins open (which is even more likely because they aren't closed properly due to cramming in cases) someone is going to get killed when those heavy cases start falling. Add in the time it is adding to gate time while people try to find places for it all and folks getting hit while they are trying to lift it in there!

I like ala carte flying. Then you only pay for what you want and find important.

You're the person that has led to all these add-on fees. So taking a few bags isn't important to you when you travel?

 

[jlewisinsyr]

I like ala carte flying. Then you only pay for what you want and find important.

Me too...I pay for what I want to bring, why should I subsidize the family that is traveling with a checked bag at 49.5 lbs, a overly stuffed carry-on and a barely acceptable personal item for each of their 4 family members for a 1 week vacation? I can pack myself and my partner for two weeks in one checked bag and two personal items that we fit under our seats. Rarely do I carry on anything larger.

 

[merlinspride]

If you read the new policy...you are still allowed one carry on for free, it just has to fit under the seat.

I personally cannot stand the people who have ABUSED the carryon policy because they are too CHEAP to buy a checked bag. We have all seen them, a roll on suitcase that is clearly over sized or a carry on that is expanded to the piont the zipper is ready to burst. These are the people who have made it neccessary to enforce this new policy.

I am in favor of this new policy, not only will it be safer in flight, as poeple wont be trying to get something out of a 'carryon' that they wedged into the overhead, but it should make boarding and unboarding the plane much quicker.

 

[Hannathy]

You're the person that has led to all these add-on fees. So taking a few bags isn't important to you when you travel?

If I want to take bags then yes I should pay, if I'm doing a quick 1 day trip without bags why should I pay for you? Just like I don't care if I sit with my family so I don't pay, maybe you do so you pay to pick seats.

I think everyone should pay for what they want and use.

 

[jog58]

I agree with this new fee as well and I hope all airlines adopt it.

 

[wezee]

Sorry but I like it! It is getting very dangerous to fly with all the overly stuffed, overly heavy things people have been cramming into the overheads. If there is bad turbulent and the bins open (which is even more likely because they aren't closed properly due to cramming in cases) someone is going to get killed when those heavy cases start falling. Add in the time it is adding to gate time while people try to find places for it all and folks getting hit while they are trying to lift it in there!

I like ala carte flying. Then you only pay for what you want and find important.

I agree, I could not be happier about the new carry-on charge. And yes, we can all blame the travelers whose insist on only carry-on luggage, then try to pass off, fulll size, over stuffed bags, as a carry-on.
As far as extra fees. If the airlines keep giving me deep discount airfares...I'll suck up the fees. I remember when a RT ticket to MCO was $300+ dollars. I'll take $100 airfare (or less) plus a luggage charge for my direct flight to WDW.

 

[Buzz's Buddy]

I'm buying tickets on Spirit today. I can get a roundtrip ticket for August for $98. Plus, checked bags fees are being reduced for $9 club members. It will be $15 for each of the first and second checked bags. There are 5 of us, but we will only need 3 checked bags, maybe even 2.

So the airfare for 5 of us is only $491. Plus $60 to $90 for checked bags.

 

[wezee]

I'm buying tickets on Spirit today. I can get a roundtrip ticket for August for $98. Plus, checked bags fees are being reduced for $9 club members. It will be $15 for each of the first and second checked bags. There are 5 of us, but we will only need 3 checked bags, maybe even 2.

So the airfare for 5 of us is only $491. Plus $60 to $90 for checked bags.

See what I mean........ya can't beat that deal. And they may actually be able to board everyone on the plane in less than 30-40 min. Our last flight, this past March, they started boarding 50 min. before take off..just to try to stay on schedule.

 

[Lewisc]

You're half right. Blame the travelers who are unwilling to pay profitable fares but are willing to pay fees.

Also blame the search engines and the way airlines display fares on their website. Things might be different if the displayed fare included the cost to check a bag, reserve a seat use an overhead bin etc. Very few people flying to Orlando on vacation can avoid paying to either check a bag or put a roller bag in the overhead bin. The present disclosure system allows Spirit to illustrate a fare that's lower then the total fare (with fees) paid by most passengers.

Some of saw this coming. Airlines aren't getting the expected revenue from checked bags. Passengers fighting for overhead bin space slows the boarding process. Safety issues when the weight of bags exceed the load capacity of the bin.

Spirit Airlines has been a "leader" in finding new ways to charge passengers for items that used to be included in the fare.


edited to add I don't blame passengers who put large carryon bags in the bins. That's a natural, an expected response, to charging for checked bags and not carryon bags.

I totally blame all these fees on the airline travelers themselves. As these fees have been added over and over the travelers have accepted them. Sure they groan about them, but they still fly. Heck, there are some people on this board who are happy to pay the fees because they never check baggage. Well guess what, now they are going to get you also. Enjoy.

For those who don't believe me, where's the link:
http://www.spiritair.com/Policiesbags.aspx

 

[uva185]

Moral of this story, DO NOT FLY SPIRIT AIRLINES!!!

Moral of the story is don't bring oversized items on a carry on. It is much different everywhere else in the world. Most airlines impose much stricter size and weight limits for carry ons. Air New Zealand even has scales set up at each gate to check heavy looking bags.

 

[PatMcDuck]

UGH! I booked Spirit for October trip from ACY. I did not even know they had such high fees for checked luggage, and another fee to choose your SEAT. (My bad, I should have done my homework) Now this?? I won't fly them ever again. I wonder if you bought your ticket before they added this fee, if you are exempt. Or if you can just cancel for a refund; I would not have booked with this additional fee.

 

[crashbb]

UGH! I booked Spirit for October trip from ACY. I did not even know they had such high fees for checked luggage, and another fee to choose your SEAT. (My bad, I should have done my homework) Now this?? I won't fly them ever again. I wonder if you bought your ticket before they added this fee, if you are exempt. Or if you can just cancel for a refund; I would not have booked with this additional fee.

If you'd read the site, you'd have seen that the fees apply only to tickets bought on or after 6 April.

 

[Brian Noble]

As I wrote in the other thread on this subject---it will be interesting to see if Spirit can make this stick. Will their customer base swallow a carry-on fee?

I'm doubtful, but you never know.

 

[Lewisc]

As I wrote in the other thread on this subject---it will be interesting to see if Spirit can make this stick. I'm doubtful, but you never know.

Spirit is removing the economic incentive to take a large carryon bag. Should speed up boarding. Makes a lot of sense to me.

Spirit has thought this through. Passengers who pay to use the bin will board first. The rest of the passengers will be asked for a credit card before they're allowed to board with a large bag.

 

[wezee]

Why would you think they would not be able to enforce the new fees? Everyone said the same when they started charging for assigned seats and checked bags, way back when.
If you bought your ticket, after a certain date, then the new carry-on policy applies. Seems simple enough to me.

 

[Tara]

I can't believe they have added a new "carry-on baggage fee". I'm sure all the major airlines will be looking to do the same real soon also (except maybe Southwest).

So, Spirit Airlines will be charging $45 for a carry-on bag if it's too large to fit under the seat. However it's $30 if you add it before you get to the airport. New policy begins August 1st.

Moral of this story, DO NOT FLY SPIRIT AIRLINES!!!


(I'm going to jump up on my soapbox now)

I totally blame all these fees on the airline travelers themselves. As these fees have been added over and over the travelers have accepted them. Sure they groan about them, but they still fly. Heck, there are some people on this board who are happy to pay the fees because they never check baggage. Well guess what, now they are going to get you also. Enjoy.

For those who don't believe me, where's the link:
http://www.spiritair.com/Policiesbags.aspx

I think it's great. Why are you complaining - the checked bag fee is actually going down. Shouldn't you be THANKING the people you are addressing sarcastically here?

 

[Lewisc]

I misunderstood Brian's point in the other thread. He questions if this change will "stick" (will passengers accept it). I think Spirit's passengers will accept the new fee. An interesting question is if other airlines will follow.

I wonder how long before an airline has "second class" ticket. No carryon bags. No frequent flier miles. Seat assigned at the gate. You'll have to assume you'll get a middle seat. You won't get to sit next to other family members.

 

[lugnut33]

It would be one thing is ALL the carriers do this, but they don't. The one who doesn't is still doing OK:

For the third straight year, Southwest Airlines Co. carried more passengers than any other U.S. carrier the government said Monday.

I hope the other ones fee themselves out of existence.

There are somethings that one should expect to come with the fee you pay to fly. Just like a car, you can buy a standard car but it still comes with brakes, seats, and wheels. By willing accepting these fees you travelers are telling the airlines they can add charges for everything and you're happy with it. Part of flying includes bringing some luggage, or do you fly with nothing?

Somebody brought up the one day trip, that's ridiculous.