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I Did the Spirit Airlines Bare Fare… For Science!
I paid a mere $16.11 for a one-way Spirit Airlines Bare Fare flight from Kansas City to Dallas. Crazy, right? It gets crazier… $14.24 of that ticket went to the “Government’s Cut,” (Spirit’s words, not mine) that is, various government-imposed fees and taxes. Of the remainder, a single penny went towards the base fare, with the final $1.86 going to what Spirit refers to as “Unintended Consequences of DOT Regulations.” Depending on where you sit on the regulatory fence, the actual revenue from my… (www.airlinereporter.com) More...Sort type: [Top] [Newest]
i wouldn't fly Spirit for free. The worst customer friendly airline out there.
Worst airline I have ever flown...... Walked off a flight in FLL and drove to TPA. It seemed safer.
I used to fly Frontier MIA to IAD nonstop regularly. It was cheaper than anyone else and included 1 bag, a carry-on, and economy plus seating. The flight was also a decent time. Usually the flight was mostly full. However, they have discontinued this route, so I have to resort to a legacy airline :(.
Here's the problem. One of two things is true. Either for every story like this there are 20 where people get the "cheap" fair only to end up paying as much if not more than they would with a fare that is less stripped down. Or this model is completely unsustainable financially for the airline. The former is a form of deceptive advertising IMO, unless you're a "geek" who has hours to spend "gaming" their system. The latter will eventually level itself, but not before some corners are cut.
I understand that this model allows people to choose what they want to pay for, and is supposed to be empowering by unbundling services. But I also believe that it's taking it a bit far, and the end result is that far more travelers are frustrated by the whole thing than are pleased by it.
I just wish that we, as a traveling public would just understand that it takes money to keep these big heavy things in the air, and be willing to pay a fair price for what is still the most cost effective and amazing way to travel long distance.
I understand that this model allows people to choose what they want to pay for, and is supposed to be empowering by unbundling services. But I also believe that it's taking it a bit far, and the end result is that far more travelers are frustrated by the whole thing than are pleased by it.
I just wish that we, as a traveling public would just understand that it takes money to keep these big heavy things in the air, and be willing to pay a fair price for what is still the most cost effective and amazing way to travel long distance.
I fly CLE >< MCO on Frontier quite frequently, since I have a business in Ohio and my residence in Florida. I have never had a bad experience with them, and like this article points out...I have done it for as little as $30 ROUND Trip! The average is $29 one way, and it's about a 1,000 mile trip. Yet, I hear people complaining that they don't like Frontier!
I book on line, so my only interaction is the person scanning my boarding pass, which takes a split second, and then saying goodbye when I deplane... The equipment seems much better than the regional jets on UAL, so what is there to be unhappy with?
I book on line, so my only interaction is the person scanning my boarding pass, which takes a split second, and then saying goodbye when I deplane... The equipment seems much better than the regional jets on UAL, so what is there to be unhappy with?
This mirrors my experience with RyanAir in Europe. For GBP20 I flew from MST (EHBK) to Stansted (EGSS), leaving my bed in mainland Europe at 5am CEST, and ready for my morning meeting in Central London at 9am BST. The only reasonable return flight was with KLM tho, so traveling from Heathrow to Amsterdam Schiphol for EUR150 or so, and then a 3 hour train ride back to my house would take almost all day. Go RyanAir!