Spirit Airlines

Fort Lauderdale to La Guardia with Spirit Airlines. Checked in online. Arrived 2 hours early yet my family still missed our flight. Why? 10 flights leaving FFL at the same time that morning and nowhere near enough check in staff to cope with the hundreds of passengers dropping bags. Chaos and confusion. It took over 90 minutes to check in our bags. 15/20 minutes to get through security. Passengers running en mass to attempt to reach their gate in time. The result? 20 passengers missed our flight with a further 40 (at least) missing other flights around the same time. Crazy, horrible, stressful situation. If they're going to have that many flights departing at the same time they have a responsibility to have enough staff on to deal with the amount of passengers so people actually have the chance of making their flights.

My first time flying Spirit from Baltimore to Las Vegas via Chicago and definitely my last. I paid $48 to check my bag online (would have been much higher to check at airport) once I reached the airport, I waited 35 minutes to give my bag to someone (even though I'd already paid the fee) and the person I spoke to told me I could check my gate at monitor. After asking again, she grudgingly looked up my gate number. Once I reached the gate, they made the announcement that carry on bags had a $65 fee and needed to be paid at that time and if you waiting until closer to boarding the fee would be $100. Our connecting flight was not held (even though it was at the gate for 15 minutes after I arrived so 40 people missed their connection and waiting 7 hours at Chicago O'Hare. Seating on plane was tightest I've ever flown. Entire staff were very unfriendly and not helpful.

✅ Verified Review | I have to say that I am extremely disappointed with the entirety of this company. I have been traveling for more than twenty years and I have never experienced an airline, or any company for that matter, with such unwillingness to right their wrongs. I took a flight from Boston Mass. to Nevada on 7/25/2016 which was delayed about an hour and a half. Not bad and I was on my way out of town which had time to spare anyway. The lack of accommodations and poor customer service weren't even a problem since the airfare was inexpensive. But on the way home, our flight was at 1 am. Already an inconvenient time but again because it was a cheap flight we thought it could still work. The flight got delayed on the way back as well. After speaking with other airport employees I realize that this is a common theme with this company, caused by under staffing, not "malfunctions with the plane." This time the flight was delayed for three hours, which caused us to miss our connecting flight. At the airport in Nevada the staff informed us that there were no flights back to Boston for more than 48 hours, and that we should take our original flight into Dallas and look for another flight to Boston from there. They told us "Don't worry about it right now, they will take care of you there." Upon arriving in Dallas, they again informed us the there were no flights with their airline leaving to go to Boston, but they would put us in a hotel until they could get us on a flight. Unfortunately, I was not able to accept their offer, because I had three daughters at home waiting for my arrival, that would have been left home alone if I was not there. While I understand that my situation is not their problem specifically and they did somewhat attempt to resolve the situation, that does not excuse the fact that I paid Spirit Airlines to bring my party from point A to point B and they failed to do so. They should have made every attempt within their power to get me back home, including making a deal with another airline as there were other flights going to Boston that day. Not only were they unwilling to make their best efforts to get us home, but they were unwilling to refund the money spent only for the way home. They wanted to give us a pro-rated refund for the mileage minus the flight to Dallas, even though they were the ones that told us to take the flight in the first place because we would "be taken care of there." We were forced to pay inflated rates to book a last minute flight. After spending an additional $982.00 for our new flight to Boston, spending $267.00 in overpriced airport food, wasting our time stuck in an airport unable to shower, Spirit Airlines refunded $0. The following day they sent an apology email offering $50.00 off a new flight. What a slap in the face. Why on earth would I choose Spirit Airlines again, when clearly even with the low prices, I end up spending a lot more? Further more, from a business perceptive, if I agree to provide a service to someone and they pay me ahead of time, if for any reason I am unable to complete the job, I'm not going to refund a portion of their payment. I'm going to pay a subcontractor to finish the job. You will end up paying more in the long run.

Detroit to Seattle via Las Vegas. I first flew with Spirit Airlines in June 2016 from DTW-Myrtle Beach. As expected, the seats were cramped, but not unbearable for a short flight. While waiting for our return flight, we were told that due to a technical difficulty, the aircraft that we were supposed to board had to be swapped with a smaller plane which could only accommodate 31 fewer passengers. The ground crew seemed hard pressed to rustle up volunteers to get bumped off from the flight and were offering free vouchers for a round trip ticket to anywhere Spirit flies, without any blackout restrictions. All I would pay for would be taxes and fees. No takers. To sweeten the deal, they offered to put up volunteers at a hotel room or throw in a second free round trip ticket. Sweet deal so we decided to take it, given that it looked like they were going to bump people off anyway and we didn't want to scramble for a hotel if we were chosen. Fast forward to August 9, two days before the voucher expires. I called Spirit Airlines to book my trip using the vouchers and was told that I couldn't travel on the dates I asked for because they were "peak flights". When I asked the representative what my options were, she offered me flights that were three days off what I had asked for. When I asked her what other options were open to me, given that I had been reassured that there would be no black out restrictions for the voucher, she told me to call again tomorrow. I would suggest that if you absolutely have to fly Spirit Airlines, do everything online. Their online reservations are incredibly easy and hassle free. Unfortunately for me, I still have to book over the telephone to redeem my flight voucher, for an additional $25.00 per reservation. Oh, and when I redeemed my other travel voucher for a RT flight from Detroit to Seattle, fees, taxes, 1 piece of carry-on luggage and pre-selected seat came up to almost $200. Not as cheap as I had hoped for.

Oakland to La Guardia via Chicago with Spirit Airlines. Terrible - a 2hr wait for bags (no announcement), unreclinable seats, no inflight entertainment, staff like sulky teenagers. In 30 years of travelling I have never before felt this level of distain and anger at an airline.

✅ Verified Review | Las Vegas to Detroit. Terrible customer service: Yes their fares are cheap and you can say flexible but honestly I prefer to pay a little more and get a better service. They lost my bag from Las Vegas to Detroit and yes it was a direct flight and still they lost it. I have been trying to contact them after a filed a claim for a missing bag and it was practically impossible but when I finally got an actual "person" not a machine they were worst, I was explaining and telling them everything and all I could here on the other side was a simple: "Mmm Aha" "Mjm" that is it. After all my explanation they only told me: "We are going to call you back" I was about to ask something and they just hung up on me. At this moment my bag is still missing and I've been trying to call everyday and it is always the same answer: "we are going to call you back" which they never do. Please stay away from this Airline.

✅ Verified Review | So, You decided to fly Spirit? You're thinking "wow, 325 dollars for 3 one way tickets." Only bad part is that you have to have a 7 hour layover in Dallas. Worth it, right? Wrong! Before you make the mistake I did, let me stop you there. I had read horrible reviews about the company but a friend told us that Spirit Airlines was a great company, that the tickets were super cheap. Well that's because they charge you for carry-on and checked in luggage. Not to mention the fact that I have to pay to check my luggage in again when I get to Dallas. To fly thru Spirit, I am paying a total of 525.00 for 3 one way tickets with a layover of 7 hours. Every airline I have ever flown with, the luggage weight limit is 50lbs, except Spirit, where its 40 lbs. In the end you spend the same about that you would with other airlines, except with other airlines, you get free food, water, and drinks, you get a check in limit of 50lbs with a 20 dollar fee and they don't charge you for your carry on. The Spirit staff are rude and did nothing to help, except make excuses.

✅ Verified Review | Flew from Denver to Las Vegas. I bought my ticket on CheapTickets but later ended up paying for my seat and carry on, I ended up spending what I thought I had saved by buying the cheapest plane ticket. Spirit Airlines charges for every single thing before and during their flights. Of course Spirit offers you the option of many different discount programs which will possibly save you money in the long run but if you are flying just once a year as I do those discount programs will only make you spend more. The only free bag Spirit Airlines will allow you is small purse or backpack. I was only going on vacation for two days and obviously didn't have a lot of things with me and I ended up paying for my carry on. You will not see any TVs or any other entertainment onboard. Spirit also doesn't offer any courtesy drinks. I have to note that the flight attendants were great but that's the only good thing I can tell you about Sprint. If you are trying to save some money do not use Spirit. They also don't issue any refunds unless you cancel your flight seven days before your scheduled trip. I will try to stay away from this company in the future.

✅ Verified Review | Was supposed to depart Atlanta at 1 pm for Baltimore. Email prompting to be sure to arrive early at airport (when problem was already known on ground at Atlantic City) to find out delay after delay until finally an email that flight was delayed 12 hours ("maybe") until 12.42 am. No confirmation or reliable information whatsoever from supervisor at Spirit boarding kiosk at all, left in limbo. No flight available on Spirit until Monday. Finally gave up as we needed to get home and booked a flight on Delta for a premium as you would imagine. Delta flight was satisfactory and enjoyable other than having to pony up for the fare.

Atlantic City to Fort Meyers canceled right before we were supposed to board. Next flight available for this flight offered was 3 days later! Had to rent a car and drive to DC and buy new tickets on Delta to get to Fort Meyers today. In the end this cheap airline cost me and extra $600 today. To top it off total chaos trying to get refunded I had to stand in line for about 2 hours with one agent assisting all passengers on this canceled flight. I will never book a flight again with them.