Do Not Fly Spirit Airlines!

[BobOrme]

Originally Posted by art leong

You have to read the fine print before you buy. A lot of people see the 29 or 49 dollar fares and think it's an unbelieveable deal. Which it can be. A lot of people fly from Florida up north and back and have clothes in both places. So no luggage.
All airlines have recently introduced revenue raising items. If you want to sit in the first 25 rows it will cost you 40 or 50 dollars extra. If you are big like me and want an exit row it's 75 dollars more. The main difference between Spirit and the major carriers is Spirit charges for a carryone bag (and that means a small suitcase not a computer bag or a shopping bag) and they charge for non alcoholic drinks.
The main problem with the budget carriers is that if you are on a schedule it can get screwed up. They lease all their planes and if the plane you are going on has a malfuntion. They can't roll another one out of the hanger. And they don't work with other carriers
If I have to be somewhere on a certain day (such as a cruise even though I'll fly a day early) I would not take Spirit. If I'm going to Vegas etc Spirit will do, if the price is right.

I've already bought 4 round trip tickets on 4 different major airlines this year, and none of them charged extra for all seats in the first 25 rows. First Class and early row stretch seats cost more, but those seats aren't more than half of the seat population. Coach/economy seating is still the majority of seats available on all airlines, and the highest price I've seen for stretch seating is $39 on United - the same price they've been charging for years.

[art leong]

Originally Posted by BobOrme

I've already bought 4 round trip tickets on 4 different major airlines this year, and none of them charged extra for all seats in the first 25 rows. First Class and early row stretch seats cost more, but those seats aren't more than half of the seat population. Coach/economy seating is still the majority of seats available on all airlines, and the highest price I've seen for stretch seating is $39 on United - the same price they've been charging for years.

Well Bob things change. I'm leaving for Seattle on May 23 on United (they now have merged with Continental) And what I told you are the new rules. I booked this trip 8 months ago and had picked decent seats at the time. They took them away and issued me others. Back of the plane and not even next to my wife. I called and complained but they wouldn't do a thing except change my flight to one 4 hours later, but at least my wife and I sit together.
I just double checked and I was wrong about the first 25 rows. It is the first 22 rows Exit row seats are $89 more the rest varied extra prices from $89 to $61 (middle).