Could Be More Increases Coming

[omegaet]

disneygal& mountie....guilty as charged....posted 03-01-2007:

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Any Community Member.......contemplating an auction package to Peru later this year. Spirit Airlines http://www.spiritair.com/welcome.aspx has just received approval from the U.S. Department of Transportation to offer nonstop flights from Fort Lauderdale to Lima, Peru. You might want to save their web site and check back in a few weeks for their initial announcement and opening promotional fares. Their service isprojected to begin in late Spring or early Summer of 07.

As a frequent traveler in and out of South Florida, you can be assured the Fort Lauderdale Airport is a much more efficient and pleasant experience than Miami International (especially passing through Immigrations and Customs). We dont work for Spirit Airlines, but we certainly enjoy their friendly in-flight service and new modern planes.

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Now having flown Spirit a couple of times since the 03-01-2007, we have failed to post any remarks about our last couple of experiences. Their growth and expansion have obviouslytaxed their personnel and operationalinfastructure and customer complaints having increased. They have also instituted a number of "extra" fees, not unlike other carriers. Their main appeal to us, and honestly the only reason we consider flying themis whenever non-stop service is available for short haul destinations. Given their seating configurations, we would not choose them for flights of more than four or five hours....which rules out their service to Columbia and Peru.

Everything considered, we are still planning to use them for non-stop service into Guatemala later in the year or shortly after the first of the new year....just a little over two hours of flying which should be OK.

We are resolved to the fact the aviation industry worldwide is experiencing difficultieswhich seems to translate to diminished services and performance at higher fares.



Message Edited by omegaet on 09-27-2008 01:35 PM

[bonniejoy03]

Thanks O. Peru is still being considered for next year. We haven't used Spirit but it sounds like a nice option. The only question is how far in advance can you book? I think I looked at them for Guatemala and wasn't able to book that far in advance. Do you know? Thanks.

[disneygal]

Hi BJ03, On the Spirit website it says they are booking through April 2009.

My comment about the cost for seat assignment was not meant as a Spirit bash - I'll wait until we fly with them to make a judgement on that! To me it's just a sign of the times. We had another example on SAS in May. It was a short flight in Europe and there was was a charge (about $2) for a cup of drinking water. You couldn't buy a bottle of water in the airport and bring it on, since there was another (typical in Europe) security check at the gate before boarding. It's an interesting time to travel!

[omegaet]

disneygal....go ahead and bash Spirit....it's OK! Can't imagine your being "impressed" with their travelexperience. We use them for certain trips, mostly based on the fact it easier for us to fly from FLL than MIA. We have learned to lower the bar of expectations and really, once all of the extra fees are added in, their prices really are not that much lower than competitors.....also, their on time performance and baggage problems continue to escalate at a disproportionate rateas they expand their destinations and flights.



Aside from those few minor details, we still select Spirit when the destinations work!



Good luck

[bonniejoy03]

Disneygal. Wow. I didn't know this about Europe! I plan to bring empty bottles, fill them with water fountain water, ask for a cup on board, and make my own ice tea! I will then be prepared to sell or barter my goods on the plane! It will be a way for me to make some money onboard! I still haven't figured outhow I was going to cook but I could bring prepared meals and try to sell them. I personally love the idea but my husband is ready to disown me! I haven't totally finished my "business plan" yet.

[jsattapr2]

I have actually been able to book a lower priced domesticflight recently, at least less than the fare was about two months ago. I guess the summer rush is over and the number of passengers are starting to decline, even though the airlines are reducing their flights.

[LL_Travelfan]

Hi disneygal,
Seat assignment payment is no longer unusual in Europe, unfortunately. Ryan Air charges a priority seating charge, but you still can find a free seat if you check in without one, you'll just stand in line a little longer. Air Berlin still assigns you seats for free and ups their baggage allowance from 20 to 30 lbs if you stay longer than 31 days. We use priority lounges a lot, but quite often, they are located outside the gate check and so it is impossible to bring in anything. So on short flights, we usually drink enough, and eat prior to boarding the flight. In Europe flights are quite short and I think most people can last for a couple of hours without drinking and eating. Of course, it's a different story from the east coast to the west coast, but in general, even US flights are short enough to forgo eating and drinking. Eating and drinking on the plane is one of my least concerns. We have been spoiled, from the time when air travel was an "event" and you dressed up in your best clothes to go on the plane.... these times are gone, helas...