Spirit Airlines: The Difference Is The Indifference

[petepie]

I had a similar experience on UsAir. Sat on the runway at DCA for 2 hrs, missed connection to St Thomas in Charlotte, was sent back to Phila Delphic to fly out the next morning. We were a group of 12 with 6 kids under 5. It was a mess, and a real bummer to be sitting in the Phil airport Marriott the first night of vacation rather than our (paid for) Vila on STJ. So I feel for you. No vouchers since our delay was weather related but trip insurance covered some of our costs. But I'm scarred and won't fly UsAir through Charlotte again! Spirit is really tempting with the low fares but I think you we're right that if you've got to get back for work or other commitments, it's not worth the risk. Thanks for telling the tale....

[brenda]

While I had nothing near this horrific happen, I decided that after my second trip with Spirit in 2011, that it would be my last and I have not strayed. Guess I'm stuck with US Scareways. Got tix with a stop in Charlotte for $534pp. I will take it! Oh, and I know what you mean about the room they stick you in at STT airport for Spirit. I, as other, look forward to your TR and glad you finally made it home!!!

[54b]

JJShaw, please do not apologize, you actually helped us quite a bit....if Spirit works for you, it works. And I know it makes sense for a lot of travelers. And apologies to anyone I stressed out who is flying Spirit soon. It could all be just fine. I mean it's not like the airline tried to be delayed.

The only real takeaway here is that delays invariably happen and Spirit is probably the most ill equipped of all the carriers to deal with them due to the myriad issues mentioned above. And they know it and make know apologies for it because they see it as a reality of an airline that operates with such tight margins.

[shoosh]

So sorry for the nightmare ending to your vacation. I'm really sorry for enjoying reading your report on Spirit Airlines...but you wrote some funny stuff in there.
To keep people aware of the potential problems you can encounter with Spirit Airlines is very important and you did a good job detailing all the pitfalls. So hopefully you have enlightened us and we will think it through before we click that purchase fare button.

[Tracy in WI]

Crap. Sitting at O'Hare and my Spirit flight is delayed! I've been jinxed! Hoping i'll get out in time to catch my connecting flight.....

[Myheart'sinSTJ]

Crap. Sitting at O'Hare and my Spirit flight is delayed! I've been jinxed! Hoping i'll get out in time to catch my connecting flight.....

Hang in there Tracy, hopefully just a minimal delay, STJ soon come

[JJShaw]

Crap. Sitting at O'Hare and my Spirit flight is delayed! I've been jinxed! Hoping i'll get out in time to catch my connecting flight.....

Sorry to hear that Tracy, but on a brighter note (If there is one), looks like they flight to STT from FTL is delayed until 1:44 so you should make the connection..Keeping our fingers crossed for you..


PS..They are on the runway at this time..

[Tracy in WI]

Plane just arrived in O'Hare so it should work out. I can handle a little delay!

[Tracy in WI]

Plane just arrived in O'Hare so it should work out. I can handle a little delay!

[ColumbiaSCTraveler]

OUCH! So sorry!

Trust me - we are NEVER flying Spirit!!! It's not worth the risk!

Cannot WAIT for your trip report!!!!!!

[GotToGetAway]

So sorry to hear about your Spirit horrors. I have thought about Spirit a few times and chicken out in favor of American (never had a problem with AA). Perhaps, Spirit is better used as a direct flight.

[mahi2mahi]

Very popular topic

We booked Spirit cautiously after reading reviews here. Made sure to have at least an extra travel day (leaving Saturday) to arrive home for work on Monday. The price was definitely right.

No problem with the departure area at STT.

BUT were greeted with the following anouncement near boarding time. "We may not have enough fuel to make it to FLL and may have to stop in SJU for fuel. You may miss your connection in FLL. You will be on your own.

OK that sucks but I don't mind spending a night in Ft. Lauderdale, could be worse.

Then somehow they find the fuel/money to load at STT so off we go.

Arrived at FLL and sat and waited and sat and waited for our connection to MCO. We finally arrived at MCO only an hour and a half late but could only shake my head at the flight attendant when it was time to board the MCO flight.

A total zoo in FLL. No communication. No direction. No announcements. People with kids sitting in the middle of the terminal all over the place wondering what was going on. How did we arrive only 90 minutes late? The magic of Spirit.

[DonnaM]

WTF? Not have enough fuel? I am starting to feel like Spirit Airlines is run by the Three Stooges: a bunch of lunatics running around causing havoc and poking each other in the eyes.

[dreamshark]

Sorry that your flight was such a nightmare, but your report was beautifully written from the perfect title to the flawless way you disarmed any possible critics with the metaphor about the hot stove to paragraphs like this one:

But of course, you also have to get home on Spirit. And thus begins the 36 hour Odyssean saga that would reduce my wife to tears multiple times, equip my 8 year old with several new curse words (many of them in Spanish) and provide me with a very Orwellian glimpse on the future of customer service.

Please forgive me if I LOL

I admit to being slightly tempted when Spirit was running that $169 flight from MSP, but that schedule was a nightmare even if nothing went wrong, so I resisted. I'd heard that Spirit was (intentionally) deficient at customer service, but this is beyond anything I had imagined. I'm amazed that airports would put up with an airline that pulled stunts like that! When passengers are abandoned for FOUR HOURS past their flight time without even a gate agent, that's obviously going to put extra demands on the airport staff. It's unconscionable - not just to the arguably greedy passengers who sign up for the cut rate flights but (as you point out) for all the employees who have to deal with the ensuing chaos. And not just Spirit employees, but everybody else who has to deal with the mess this outfit leaves behind them. Feh.

[EagleRayLover]

54b
I just read this insanity and feel so bad for you! I hopemyounhavenfonallynfully recovered!! I remember when we met at the airport and can only,imagine the extreme opposite of how you guys much have been with this ordeal on the return flight!! Anyway I hope the in between fun and excitement made it worth the craziness called travel daze!!