Now bankrupt Spirit Airlines is no more.
Now, to be honest, as a travel agent this doesn’t affect me much in the short run. Because I never booked the now bankrupt Spirit Airlines
Spirit wasn’t quite Ryan Air, the much-joked-about and reviled European airline. It was only available to book online. But as an “ultra-low” cost airline, they were extremely difficult to book on our computer, even for the simplest routing. They charged for everything — from printing a boarding pass to a cup of water (they sold bottled water on board). And you were allowed only one free, very small personal item, not a carry-on bag. Those who didn’t prepay paid much higher prices at the airport.
The seat pitch was 28-29 inches. To put that in perspective, back of the plane seats on United Airlines and American Airlines basic seat pitch is 30-31 inches. Which is pretty tight. (Many of my clients will take a middle seat with extra legroom to avoid those standard seats. Their extra legroom seats were about 32 inches of legroom.)
Even their premium “Go Big” class was paltry (according to a friend). It included just a free drink and something like a cup of ramen noodles.
But yes, I get it, for some travelers, cost is paramount.
If you were very, very careful you could save a lot of money. Though those extra costs could add up fast. Especially for those who weren’t aware in advance.
I didn’t book them because I didn’t see a way for a travel advisor to add value or reach someone in case of a problem. Even most budget carriers have some sort of customer service numbers, and some even have travel agency help desks.
Quite frankly, travel agents don’t sell something that is a really budget experience.
There’s a reluctance to get involved in a situation where a client is likely to be unhappy. (Yes, there are some very inexpensive hotel/motels.) But in my experience, when someone says “they just want a bed,” they don’t always mean it.
A friend who decided to try them (booking direct, as I told him I wouldn’t do it) from Los Angeles to Las Vegas told me later, “Okay, I’m glad I tried it, because now I know — never again.”
On the other hand, while major carriers didn’t match Spirit’s prices, they did put downward pressure on ticket prices. Even a free ticket wouldn’t be enough of an incentive if they perceived it as a bad or uncomfortable experience. But for many, there is a price where pain is worth it.
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Janice Hough is a California-based travel agent a travel blogger and a part-time comedy writer. A frequent flier herself, she’s been doing battle with airlines, hotels, and other travel companies for over three decades. Besides writing for Travelers United, Janice has a humor blog at Leftcoastsportsbabe.com (Warning, the political and sports humor therein does not represent the views of anyone but herself.)
