That's the Spirit

[mickeyd]

Saw the CEO being interviewed on TV last night on this topic and he said that they are willing to do anything to keep their ticket prices down. No baggage? No problem. Baggage? That will cost. Print pass at home. No problem. Have someone at the airport print it? That will cost ya.

Spirit — the airline that already charges you for carrying on a single suitcase — will start charging $5 if you need to have a ticket agent print out your boarding pass.
The airline says it will also lower fares by $5 to make up for the new fee. Hence the genius headline on the press release the company issued to announce the new fee:

Airline Lowers Fares on All Non-Stop Flights and Offers Savings for Checking In Online
​

The fee starts in November. Starting next year, the airline will also charge $1 if you print out your boarding pass at one of its airport kiosks.

Spirit Airlines Will Charge $5 To Print Your Boarding Pass : Planet Money : NPR

 

[Aiming_4_55]

maybe they should ...

- start a carry-on fee
- charge per napkin
- charge per bathroom flush
- charge by the pound

I don't fly much so not sure if anyone does this yet or not

 

[M Paquette]

maybe they should ...

- start a carry-on fee
- charge per napkin
- charge per bathroom flush
- charge by the pound

I don't fly much so not sure if anyone does this yet or not

Spirit is a leader in these areas...

Spirit Airlines Baggage | Spirit Airlines launches $45 carry-on fee - Los Angeles Times

Meanwhile, RyanAir continues to innovate...
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-1263905/Ryanair-toilet-charges-phased-in.html

 

[Alan]

Saw the CEO being interviewed on TV last night on this topic and he said that they are willing to do anything to keep their ticket prices down. No baggage? No problem. Baggage? That will cost. Print pass at home. No problem. Have someone at the airport print it? That will cost ya.

Spirit Airlines Will Charge $5 To Print Your Boarding Pass : Planet Money : NPR

We recently flew on Aer Lingus to Ireland from England and they also charge if the agent prints the boarding pass.

We checked in on-line and printed the boarding passes ourselves.

 

[samclem]

Meanwhile, RyanAir continues to innovate...
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-1263905/Ryanair-toilet-charges-phased-in.html

It's gonna smell very nice in the airplane when the customers start peeing in their seats.

 

[mickeyd]

I still fly SWA whenever I can.

 

[KingB]

We fly Spirit.
They do charge for carry on baggage that is normally free on other airlines. If you don't check in the luggage, it will cost you $20 -but if you check it in, it will only cost $18.

And we usually print our boarding pass at home, but you still have to go in line to the airline counter if you are checking in luggage. That kind of defeats the purpose of preprinting your boarding pass.

There is no snack or any drinks - nothing. And they charge you $2.50 for a can of pop.

And you can not select your seats. If you do, it will cost you - the amount depends on what seat you choose. We just let them assign our seats.

Still, it ends us costing considerably less compared to other airlines.

 

[youbet]

We fly Spirit.
They do charge for carry on baggage .

Good. I'm tired of folks carrying way, way too much crap into the passenger area. Sometimes sitting there watching folks troop by pulling a carry-on bag, wearing a huge fanny pack and carrying a huge purse or brief case makes me wonder where it will all go. The answer usually comes in the form of a heated exchange between a flight attendant and a passenger.

Once when I got to my seat I discovered a carry-on under the seat in front of mine (in my foot space) and I questioned my 2 row mates and one admitted to owning it. She already had crap stuffed under the seat in front of her. When she wouldn't move it, I called a flight attendant who, unbelievably, asked me to allow it to be left there. When I refused the flight attendant did pull the bag out and pulled it away. I have no idea where she put it as the overheads were all already over-stuffed.

 

[Nords]

Saw the CEO being interviewed on TV last night on this topic and he said that they are willing to do anything to keep their ticket prices down. No baggage? No problem. Baggage? That will cost. Print pass at home. No problem. Have someone at the airport print it? That will cost ya.

From the pricing it seems that they value their employee interactions at only a dollar or two. If they're trying to convince passengers to not use their services, this business model may be full of unintended psychological consequences.

Heck, I tip skycaps and bellhops more than that to handle my luggage. I'd have Spirit do everything for me!

 

[samclem]

I hope this free market spirit catches on. With the planned reduction to one lavatory per 200 seats on Ryan Air, it won't be long until a passenger figures out that the "1 euro, unlimited time" license he purchased is worth a lot more than he paid. "What am I bid for the next three minutes of time in this accommodation?" or "I'll come out when I see a 20 euro note slide under the door."

Next, they airline will find another profit center in selling the edited video of the fistfights at the queue for the latrine.

 

[SteveL]

I've seen situations when a passenger didn't feel well, and went into the john for over an hour. I can see carrying a blanket or sheet and a small plastic bottle if you are a man.....

 

[chinaco]

I hope this free market spirit catches on. With the planned reduction to one lavatory per 200 seats on Ryan Air, it won't be long until a passenger figures out that the "1 euro, unlimited time" license he purchased is worth a lot more than he paid. "What am I bid for the next three minutes of time in this accommodation?" or "I'll come out when I see a 20 euro note slide under the door."

Next, they airline will find another profit center in selling the edited video of the fistfights at the queue for the latrine.

That might cut into alcoholic beverage sales!

 

[MichaelB]

RyanAir is the industry leader in airline fees. I'd post the list but it is too long to cut and paste. see it here General Conditions

 

[travelover]

We fly Spirit.................We just let them assign our seats.................

Do you miss sitting together?

 

[Nuiloa]

Don't know if it's the same is the US, but a lot more people are taking the train nowadays. Slower but far more humane.

 

[rescueme]

The problem is in a lot of cases, there is no option for those on a tight schedule or a long distance to travel in a short time - unless you have the money to fly NetJets or something similar.

I hate to fly. DW hates to travel long distances by car. Guess who wins ...

 

[KingB]

Do you miss sitting together?

There is a possibility that we may not get seated together, but it has not happened yet in at least the 6 times (IIRC) that I have flown Spirit. And if it does happen, what is 3-4 HRS of separation out of the 40+ years of being married. She will probably welcome it.