Post: #1

http://money.msn.com/business-news/artic...d=15621484

MIRAMAR, Fla. (AP) - Spirit Airlines Inc. will begin charging passengers $100 for carry-on bags unless they pay a smaller fee before getting to the airport.

The higher fee starts Nov. 6 and applies to customers who pay the carry-on fee at the boarding gate. The airline announced in May that the $100 fee was coming.

Post: #2

Sounds like what Ryan Air does.

Post: #3

Yep. Flying budget means having to watch your back non-stop. One slip up and youve spent more money than you would have by flying legit.

Post: #4

Kind of like dating a Latvian girl.

Post: #5

The budget airlines are the guinea pigs for the big carriers. They watch what they do, see how the public reacts, then bit-by-bit they follow suit. The budgets have to do this to an extent to survive and thrive, but the majors don't HAVE to. People can survive without buying a blanket, pillow, alcohol or even food, but they HAVE to bring at least one piece of carry-on luggage. They're guaranteed to get those $25s and $35s, and will get their share of $50s (I don't know if too many people do it by phone anymore, so they won't get a lot of $40s). If you're dumb enough to take it all the way to the gate with the variety of options you have before that point, I guess you deserve to get hit up for $100. At that point, you have to be positive it'll get ALL the way under the seat, or they might try to make you check it.

Post: #6

I hate spirit. I flew once with them. Never again. I try to fly AA whenever I can.

Post: #7

I got a southwest rewards credit card. $400 in miles, easy to redeem, and great airline. I think there was a good thread discussing sky miles, even for international travelers.

Post: #8

In other words, you can do "budget travel"/save money on legit airlines by gettig a sky miles card for an airline that travels to where you want to be.

Post: #9

If your credit is very good you can churn airlines cards every 6-12 months. People on flyertalk rack up to 500k miles a year by doing this. Thats about 3-4 round trip via first class anywhere in the world.

Post: #10

Fuuuuuuck them!!!!!! They left me stranded in Lauderdale once. Closed the door on my flight 5 minutes early then said they couldn't open it even though they knew a bunch of us were delayed in SD. I called their office and got trolled by IRTs.

Post: #11

My reaction:





No fuck no! No fuck no! No fuck no!

I like cheap flights as much as any other person, but I'm not going to spend hours worrying about the shitty loopholes where they try to rip me off. If limiting myself to airlines with at least some basic service means I can't afford the flight, then so be it.

Post: #12

I'll only fly them if I'm able to bring a (free) small backpack for the weekend, which I've done a few times and its not that bad. They have certain bags that max out their strange free backpack requirement. I actually like packing really light and having these rules forces people to check in their bags and not carry on as much so planing and deplaning is much faster and less chaotic.

Post: #13

(10-02-2012 02:09 PM)PartyonBro Wrote:  I'll only fly them if I'm able to bring a (free) small backpack for the weekend, which I've done a few times and its not that bad. They have certain bags that max out their strange free backpack requirement. I actually like packing really light and having these rules forces people to check in their bags and not carry on as much so planing and deplaning is much faster and less chaotic.

This is actually the problem with all carriers - they don't enforce the carry-on policy. They let people bring a ton of shit on board, and by the time everyone has boarded, they're out of space and late boarders are forced to check their bags. I travel most of the time with my backpack, and a small carry-on roller suitcase. If they strictly enforced the policy, every passenger should have space above their seat for the carry-on, with the purse/backpack going under the seat in front of you.

Post: #14

Flew with them to Medellin. Pretty fucking bad if you ask me. Charged $3 for water on an int' flight!, rude employees, shitty old airplane. It's worth it pay a few $$ more for another airline. But if you do fly them, pack some food and drinks and don't check or carry on anything. Jet Blue is much better if that is an option.

Post: #15

I make it a point to not fly any US airline. Jetblue is the exception.

Old planes, shitty service, constant delays.
You know, at this rate within 10 years in order to have a hassle-free, plenty of free luggage, shiny new plane, on-time trip, its gonna be necessary to book Netjets!!

Post: #16

Fuck spirit. I flew them twice, never again. Prices arent even any better when you add up all the nickel and diming.

Post: #17

(10-01-2012 10:51 PM)Pete Wrote:  I hate spirit. I flew once with them. Never again. I try to fly AA whenever I can.

(10-03-2012 06:35 PM)azulsombra Wrote:  Fuck spirit. I flew them twice, never again. Prices arent even any better when you add up all the nickel and diming.

Ditto, I flew Spirit one time... never again. Worst airline I have even flown on. Rip off airline with fees and shitty planes. The whole time I was on board I thought the plane was going to crash.

Post: #18

The problem is that youre treating budget airlines like full price airlines.

Ive flown easyjet,ryanair,whizzair and spirit airline.

Never had any problem.
Dont bring a shit ton of luggage.
I took a rucksack with 10kg/22lbs most of the time i had more because they didnt actually weigh them.
Show up early.
quit bitching.
Yea, ryanair walks around trying to sell perfume and cigs...i slept through all of that.
Yea spirit air charges an insane amount for bags...do your homework

If youre penny pinching..look at all the cost and not the baseline.

be happy that you have the luxury to get one a piece of metal that weighs a hundred thousand pounds and somehow came fly 250+mph

Post: #19

I've flown JetBlue religiously, and I love them. Pretty much all I ask of any airline is that they not crash, and try to be somewhat on-time - anything else I can manage. I don't need a blanket, pillow, food or booze. I can manage those things myself. I travel pretty light, and always book online, so the $35 bucks isn't a major thing if the fare is really low. The same for the "premium" seats. If the fare is low, I don't mind paying a little extra for some leg room if it's a long flight.