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

[discott71]

Instead of 10 carry-ons. Pack 2 bags that you check. Kids clothes do not take up a ton of room. $19.00 each way for you and your husband to each check a bag. Then you lower the carry ons to a more manageable 5.

My statement may have been a slightly misleading - no way do we carry on 10 bags . The kids each have their own rolling carryon which fits clothing and stuffed animal/blanket for the week. By personal items I meant their leapster or a Nintendo DS and for me my purse and my husband - the video camera of course! I do not have huge carry ons and I follow whatever the airline says for weight and size so maybe that's why I feel so negative about this change. I like each person having their own carryon - keeps us organized!

 

[MrsNick]

I disagree! Heck I used to bring a lot more stuff when I was young and childless. People on these boards travel to Disney like it is a wilderness adventure. It is a major theme park, in civilization!

Don't forget to throw in the "cost" of the extra days it takes to drive vs fly. For some people time off is a lot more scarce than money. Plus driving has a lot higher risks involved.

Exactly.

I agree that travel is more difficult with kids, and that is exactly why I don't plan to use my DH as a pack mule in the airport. We will travel as lightly as possible and won't be paying any fees. First checked bag is free, and since I bought DD a ticket, she gets a free checked bag if we need it (but I don't think we will).

DD will use her carseat on the plane. Her carseat will be on wheels, so we can use it in the airport in lieu of the stroller. Either we will check her stroller (for free) when we check our bags or we will leave the stroller at home and rent one for the week and consider the rental fee the price of doing business when travelling. I'm very tempted to leave the stroller home so we don't have to carry it to the check-in counter (and risk it being damaged in transit).

We will have a delivery service bring diapers, formula and baby food to our resort. We will do laundry in the middle of the week so we can pack fewer clothes. We will fit any souveniers in our existing luggage, or ship it home. We're not big souvenier buyers anyway.

I never understood why people would want to burden themselves with schlepping so much stuff through the airport. What a hassle!

Driving is not a reasonable alternative for us. It would be two days in each direction (either two days of driving, or one marathon day of driving followed by a day of recovery). The lost pay for the extra time involved in driving would be way more money than airfare; add in wear and tear on the car, wear and tear on us driving (the drive is not a part of the vacation for us. More power to those of you who enjoy the drive) and driving isn't worth it at this point in our lives.

 

[MrsNick]

I hope the other ones fee themselves out of existence.

Be careful what you wish for. The fewer airlines there are, the higher the remaining seats will cost.

 

[mickey2000]

T-minus six months til bankruptcy

 

[budbeerlady]

Interesting. At first I was very dismayed, $45!!!!!!

But once I think about it, heck do it! I am so sick of being smacked around by some one's carry on that they have stuffed everything they own into. I believe that flight attendants are being injured, heck I would imagine passengers are being injured! It has gotten out of hand to save some money.

I don't like to pay for bags, I wish it was included in the price of a ticket. But its my choice to fly, I can use Southwest or pay for my bags. We pack lightly and if need be wash some clothes at Disney.

I don't understand this bring everything you own mentality of some people. My mother in law was 1 of those on our last Disney trip with her. Dd and I shared a bag with extra room left. Mother in Law was going to be over the weight limit so we also put some of her stuff into our bag to help her out. That was heading down, she hadn't even shopped yet! You dont need to bring everything!

 

[debster812]

Again, easily said by someone who doesn't have kids. Trust me, throw a few kids in the mix and you will NOT be traveling so lightly. Don't be so quick to judge. These charges add up fast for families and are ridiculous!

DS is 12 and has been flying since he was 5. I know, not a really little kid, but little enough to need (want?) some entertainment, a book, and a lovey to fly with. He's always managed perfectly fine with a single backpack. Normally when DS, DH and I fly, we have 2 carryons between the three of us, and they both go under the seat.

I am NOT a Spirit fan in any way, shape, or form, but if this is what it takes for them to continue to fly, and passengers accept it, then you may well see other carriers adopt this policy as well.

 

[Lewisc]

Interesting. At first I was very dismayed, $45!!!!!!

Passengers who pay online will be charged $30 for an overhead bin bag and $25 for a checked bag. I didn't quote the discounted fees for passengers who belong to the $9 club.

The fee for passengers who wait until they get to the gate will be $45 if the bag goes in a bin or if it gets "gate checked".

 

[Lewisc]

That's nice for you, but for a family of five those fees add up fast. With little kids, packing lightly is not an option. Each one of us always has a carryon and personal item. My kids have their favorite blanket or stuffed animal in there and some clothing to last the whole vacation. We then check in one bag (for all of us) for some extra room to bring back souveniers.

I think this is ridiculous and hope other airlines do not follow their lead. The airlines should control the size and the weight of the carryon - not charge for them!

Exactly. The maximum (free) carryon bag for Spirit will be 16"X14"x12". Said bag must fit in the seat in front of you.

People with additional luggage can decide if they want to pay to check the bag or pay a little more (for a smaller bag) for the convenience of stowing the bag in the overhead bin.

SW is trying to charge a profitable fare but not charge for things like checked bags and soda.

A lot of posters aren't happy with SWs current fares.

Families (at least those who post on DIS) are looking for unprofitable fares. Spirit is accommodating those travelers by offering low fares but charging for "extras".

 

[eliza61]

Question. If the bad fits in the overhead compartment do you still get charged?

Basically, I don't like paying for what I use to get free especially if you are travelling any distance at all and you're not a business traveller it's virtually impossible to fly without some type of buggage.

The problem with "ala cart" charges that eventually you run out of "carts" so to speak. So when that doesn't bring in the revenue whats next? Pay toilets? or as I said on another thread, soon we'll here.

In the unlikely event of loss of cabin pressure please place the oxygen mask over your nose and mouth, pull firmly on the straps, then insert your credit card in the seat back in front of you to start the flow of oxygen.

Bottom line is air travel is reverting to it's original status where is was the domain of the rich or business travel. People are quickly realizing that the "low fares" advertised are not the true cost. Sort of like the "buying a chicken in Mexico" joke. at first the price of the chicken is really great, then there is a charge to catch the chicken, then a charge to kill the chicken, then to cook the chicken.
After you're finish you've just paid $200 for a supposedly 5 dollar chicken.

 

[budbeerlady]

Question. If the bad fits in the overhead compartment do you still get charged?

Overhead, yes a charge. Underseat, no charge.

 

[FigmentChick]

I haven't read all the posts, but let me just say one thing: I will NOT be flying Spirit Airlines anymore. Being in South Jersey, they were convenient and a decent airline, I thought. When they instituted checked baggage fees, I didn't mind much because other airlines had them. Now, this?!? No, thank you. They can kiss my business good-bye!



On a side note: when they instituted the checked bag fees, I had already made ressies. Wouldn't you know, when I got to the airport, the clerk tried to charge me? I had all my print-outs and confirmations, showing their policy, the "grandfather" dates as well as my original emailed confirmations. He was ticked-off because they didn't get any extra $$ from me! Ha!

 

[eliza61]

Overhead, yes a charge. Underseat, no charge.

so pretty much people are just going to start stuffing as much as humanly possible in the underseat area.

 

[FigmentChick]

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.

You should be exempt. See my previous post....I was exempt from paying the checked baggage fee because I reserved my tickets prior to the announcement.

 

[Dowellfam]

I absolutely do not agree with more fees. How about the airline enforce the carry on size, instead of penalizing everyone? There doesn't need to be more rules and fees- enforce the rules you already have in place.
As far as I'm concerned, the airlines are getting greedy- and they are going to continue to nickel and dime the passengers because people are willing to pay these "junk" fees. I will now only fly southwest, unless we're traveling outside the continental US, because they are the only airline not acting greedy- and they are one of the few airlines prospering, maybe the others should follow suit!
People need to boycott these airlines, even for a day- and they would lose enough money to re-think their "new policies"! WHEW! lol

 

[Hannathy]

so pretty much people are just going to start stuffing as much as humanly possible in the underseat area.

Yeah but that space is pretty limited and it has to be fully under AND they won't be hitting me in the head when the can't lift the suitcase and kinda throw it up there and then laugh when there is no way for them to lift it over their head, like it is cute. She ended up having to gate check it cause no one would lift it for her. And if it falls out and hits me on the head in turbulence it means the planes is upside down and that would probably be the least of my problems

 

[crashbb]

Yeah but that space is pretty limited and it has to be fully under AND they won't be hitting me in the head when the can't lift the suitcase and kinda throw it up there and then laugh when there is no way for them to lift it over their head, like it is cute. She ended up having to gate check it cause no one would lift it for her. And if it falls out and hits me on the head in turbulence it means the planes is upside down and that would probably be the least of my problems

Totally off topic but you last line reminded me of a shirt I saw today -

"If your pants are on fire, being a liar is the least of your worries".

 

[Hannathy]

Totally off topic but you last line reminded me of a shirt I saw today -

"If your pants are on fire, being a liar is the least of your worries".

I like that! My DD has to make T's for a screen print class and that would be a great one to make, I'll have to tell her tonight.

 

[budbeerlady]

Yeah but that space is pretty limited and it has to be fully under AND they won't be hitting me in the head when the can't lift the suitcase and kinda throw it up there and then laugh when there is no way for them to lift it over their head, like it is cute. She ended up having to gate check it cause no one would lift it for her. And if it falls out and hits me on the head in turbulence it means the planes is upside down and that would probably be the least of my problems

 

[disneyworldaddict]

As for people taking advantage I completely agree, but I hold the airline accountable, and even security for that matter. I have always brought one 19 inch carry-on with wheels and a large shoulder bag that fits under the seat. This is what the airlines say they allow. People can be stopped at security for having more than what is allowed, its perfectly within their rights to enforce it. And the airline can certainly check what each passenger is carrying and require those carrying more to pay. I've seen families with 4-5 bags each, boarding the plane. I was once told there may not be room for my bag because someone had a wedding gown taking up an entire overhead bin! There will always be people who will take advantage when allowed to. If the airline sets rules they should be willing to enforce them.

I will probably continue to fly Spirit because I live 45 mins away from ACY and it is a small cheap airport. The only other option is Airtran, and if the fare with the cost of bags is cheaper non Spirit I will use them. But I will look for other options and may invest in a locker for WDW trips.

 

[zulaya]

So here's my question:

Let's say you have a carryon that fits under the seat, but you'd really rather have the room for your feet.

Does this mean that you can't put that small carryon in the overhead bin without paying? If so, how will they enforce that?

Or will enforcement only be at the gate counter?

Just wondering...Spirit isn't even at my airport but I'm curious how they plan to operate this.