More and more Americans are encouraging Spirit airlines

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K1052

Elite Member
Aug 21, 2003
47,877
36,871
136
Southwest always seem like the best bargain to me =/

That's what people always tell me but whenever I do the comparison it has been no more than $10-20 cheaper and often more for my usual routes, plus many non-direct flights. Also, their OTP has been kind of lacking as of late.
 

DCal430

Diamond Member
Feb 12, 2011
6,020
9
81
Between the recent consolidations/capacity changes of the major airlines and the eroding cost advantage of Southwest and other low cost carriers I'm not really surprised.

I'm still not flying them however nor will 99.9% of people who travel for work.

Southwest still has some advantages over other major airlines, such as being able to cancel without penalty for credit. Also being able to check in luggage for free.
 

K1052

Elite Member
Aug 21, 2003
47,877
36,871
136
Southwest still has some advantages over other major airlines, such as being able to cancel without penalty for credit. Also being able to check in luggage for free.

The checked luggage really doesn't do anything for me personally since I always carry on for domestic flights. Cancellation credit can be a benefit but it doesn't outweigh my often limited direct flight options and SW's generally poor performance as of late. If I'm on tight schedule I typically don't fly them unless it's the very first leg (and their flight) of the day.
 

DCal430

Diamond Member
Feb 12, 2011
6,020
9
81
The checked luggage really doesn't do anything for me personally since I always carry on for domestic flights. Cancellation credit can be a benefit but it doesn't outweigh my often limited direct flight options and SW's generally poor performance as of late. If I'm on tight schedule I typically don't fly them unless it's the very first leg (and their flight) of the day.

There has been some issues with late flights with them recently, but for me it is ok, since I actually need the flexibility of being able to make changes to my flight.

The worst airline for me is united, nothing but a nightmare each time I flew them.
 
Dec 10, 2005
24,963
8,180
136
There has been some issues with late flights with them recently, but for me it is ok, since I actually need the flexibility of being able to make changes to my flight.

The worst airline for me is united, nothing but a nightmare each time I flew them.

I didn't know United flew to North Korea.
 

Kaido

Elite Member & Kitchen Overlord
Feb 14, 2004
48,653
5,419
136
hah, that's awesome.

No guitars for me, though.

Don't know if you ever heard his story...he flew United & a baggage handler broke his $3,500 guitar while he watched. Took him like 9 months to get anywhere, and it was only after his video went viral that he got any kind of real compensation iirc. 14 million views later...:D
 

jlee

Lifer
Sep 12, 2001
48,517
223
106
Don't know if you ever heard his story...he flew United & a baggage handler broke his $3,500 guitar while he watched. Took him like 9 months to get anywhere, and it was only after his video went viral that he got any kind of real compensation iirc. 14 million views later...:D

Nope, news to me. Brilliant plan on his part - hopefully United won't do that again. :p
 

Kaido

Elite Member & Kitchen Overlord
Feb 14, 2004
48,653
5,419
136
Nope, news to me. Brilliant plan on his part - hopefully United won't do that again. :p

I was just poking around the comments on the video...not only did the original song hit #1 in the iTunes Music Store, but he's created two sequel videos, one with nearly two million views and the other with 700k+ views:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-UoERHaSQg

&

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P45E0uGVyeg

As well as spawned a well-reviewed book:

http://www.davecarrollmusic.com/book/

Wikipedia also cites a stock price effect:

Within 4 days of the video being posted online, United Airlines' stock price fell 10%, costing stockholders about $180 million in value. However, American, Continental, Delta, and Southwest Airlines also had drops in their stock price on that date, and United's stock price had varied widely all that quarter, including some days with drops greater than 10% in value.

I love stuff like this :D Companies get too big, get tangled up in bureaucracy, and forget the customer, and then only respond when they're publicly confronted. Total garbage, but that's how it works these days, and +1 for Youtube for being able to spread messages like this.