You get what you pay for - Spirit Airlines

December 13, 2025, 01:29 PM

P250UA5

Not really a rant, so didnt post in WYD.

Took Spirit from IAH to LAX this morning.
My wife found $28/person/leg flights, so $60 round trip isn't bad.

The flight [newer Airbus A321neo] was fine other than a bit of mild turbulence somewhere over NM or AZ. And the Airbus whine was non-existent, which was a big plus.
Seats are a bit thinner than some others [we typically fly United or Southwest], and the a la carte pricing is different. Told my daughter that flew with us, that we get air and a seat belt for free, pay for everything else.

It's the passengers. Once loaded, it was fine but on and off, a circus.
Had 1 passenger get a stern 'back to your seat' twice. Once when we were about 3 min from touchdown, and again while we taxied to the gate. The the usual stand as soon as the plane stops [not unique to Spirit] and just general inconsiderate to getting off the plane.
The pilots were great, both very personable as we walked by to deplane.

But back to the passengers, I've never seen a plane left in such disarray. We were in row 35, so walked most of the aisle as we left.
Tray tables in every possible position, seat back pamphlets all over, and just general trash left behind.

December 13, 2025, 01:41 PM

FenderBender

That's true.

I am one of the few people who very much like spirit, you just have to fly with them correctly.
Pay for the "big front seat" and sleep from gate to gate.

December 13, 2025, 01:57 PM

P250UA5

Overall, the flight experience was fine. Would do Spirit again, especially solo. Don't think I'd do it with all 3 kids.
It's just the quality of the occupants. Many many United flights and have never seen trash left behind like that.

Going with just the personal item, no checked or carryon, no seat choice.
Otherwise, I could see it easily being just as expensive as United & the other mainline carriers.

December 13, 2025, 03:28 PM

83v45magna

Trash leaving trash.
Ironic.

December 13, 2025, 04:03 PM

TomV

quote:
Originally posted by P250UA5:
It's the passengers. Once loaded, it was fine but on and off, a circus.

Had a flight to Tampa last month on AA. Flight was fine.

But I've never seen people so slow to get off a plane. It was 10:30pm, but we had flown from Phoenix.
It was like the grocery store checkout line, "Oh my turn?" Let me gather up everything and to hell with everyone behind me.

December 13, 2025, 04:14 PM

P250UA5

quote:
Originally posted by TomV:
quote:
Originally posted by P250UA5:
It's the passengers. Once loaded, it was fine but on and off, a circus.

Had a flight to Tampa last month on AA. Flight was fine.

But I've never seen people so slow to get off a plane. It was 10:30pm, but we had flown from Phoenix.
It was like the grocery store checkout line, "Oh my turn?" Let me gather up everything and to hell with everyone behind me.

Mostly opposite here, 'me first' mentality. I'm fine letting them sardine off the plane, and I'll walk off when the crush ends.

December 13, 2025, 07:00 PM

pedropcola

You do get what you pay for. If they ever cancel your flight expect to be well and truly fucked. Other airlines have a robust enough system to rebook you on the next available flight that has a seat. Spirit will cancel your flight, refund your money with a compensation attached but then you have to rebook at whatever the next flight costs. It can be a bear. I don’t wish the employees of Spirit ill will but it is a shitty operation (their flight ops and inflight are good the rest not so much).

I have a funny story about this very thing. My youngest daughter dated this guy in college. Nice guy but a fucking zero who needed to be gone. He flew to visit her at our home one summer. I was going downstairs to put him in the car to take him to the airport and two things happened nearly simultaneously. My daughter said they had just broken up and he told me his flight was cancelled. He stayed in our basement for 3 days trying to get a flight out he could afford. I almost bought him a first class ticket just to get him out of my house. It was like having a prisoner in our basement. Only food and water crossed from there to upstairs. I can laugh now. Then, not so much. Lol

December 13, 2025, 07:28 PM

pbslinger

The Count of Pedropcola

December 13, 2025, 08:02 PM

pedropcola

It was so awkward. I didn’t like the kid to begin with and then I became the dungeon master for 3 days. I swear my daughters will be the death of me. lol

December 13, 2025, 09:24 PM

trapper189

The last time my wife, daughter, and youngest son had tickets on Spirit they made the Detroit news:

It was literally the last time, wife said never again. I still fly them because I like the free inflight entertainment.

December 13, 2025, 09:34 PM

sourdough44

One couldn’t even hitchhike for $28!

December 14, 2025, 09:08 AM

jimmy123x

quote:
Originally posted by pedropcola:
You do get what you pay for. If they ever cancel your flight expect to be well and truly fucked. Other airlines have a robust enough system to rebook you on the next available flight that has a seat. Spirit will cancel your flight, refund your money with a compensation attached but then you have to rebook at whatever the next flight costs. It can be a bear. I don’t wish the employees of Spirit ill will but it is a shitty operation (their flight ops and inflight are good the rest not so much).

I have a funny story about this very thing. My youngest daughter dated this guy in college. Nice guy but a fucking zero who needed to be gone. He flew to visit her at our home one summer. I was going downstairs to put him in the car to take him to the airport and two things happened nearly simultaneously. My daughter said they had just broken up and he told me his flight was cancelled. He stayed in our basement for 3 days trying to get a flight out he could afford. I almost bought him a first class ticket just to get him out of my house. It was like having a prisoner in our basement. Only food and water crossed from there to upstairs. I can laugh now. Then, not so much. Lol

You should've bought him a ticket on the Greyhound bus. Told him he leaves at X time and not mention that it's on the bus!!!!!!!!

December 14, 2025, 10:17 AM

P250UA5

quote:
Originally posted by jimmy123x:
You should've bought him a ticket on the Greyhound bus. Told him he leaves at X time and not mention that it's on the bus!!!!!!!!

I've done Greyhound from Beaumont to Laredo TX. The bus was cleaner at the end of that trip than this Airbus was.
We fly back to IAH today, we'll see if it's a different experience.

December 14, 2025, 10:19 AM

pedropcola

I think speed will be the difference. For the rest? Not so much.

December 14, 2025, 05:35 PM

motor59

I'm flying from Tampa to NJ the first week of January... was surprised that - 30 days out - it was cheaper to fly Delta or United than Spirit.

Of course, that means a layover in Atlanta for an hour or two, but the day is shot already, so who cares? Plus now I get TWO takeoffs and landings, so I got that going for me!

December 14, 2025, 06:44 PM

Skins2881

I've never used them, but they seem like a very classy outfit.

December 14, 2025, 07:19 PM

pedropcola

Whenever my first officer comes from Spirit I wait an appropriate amount of time to gauge their sense of humor. Then I casually ask, “do you ever miss the fistfights?”

December 14, 2025, 07:38 PM

P250UA5

Wheels down at IAH.
2:47 runway to runway, almost to the minute met their estimate on departure.
Staff on this flight was much improved over the LAX flight yesterday. FAs didnt seem like they hate their jobs

And, minimal trash left behind. Much nicer flight home.

December 15, 2025, 10:59 AM

Fly-Sig

quote:
Originally posted by pedropcola:
Whenever my first officer comes from Spirit I wait an appropriate amount of time to gauge their sense of humor. Then I casually ask, “do you ever miss the fistfights?”

Lol! I only had one fistfight on a flight, and that was from SLC to Cabo, in 1st class no less. Lots of other non-standard events during my career, but that was a stand-out for sure. (OO not Spirit).