Why You Should Never Fly Spirit Airlines
Flying can be a daunting experience for many reasons, but flying with Spirit Airlines is a whole new level of nightmare. It’s like stepping into an alternate universe where everything that can go wrong does go wrong.
What is Spirit Airlines?
Spirit Airlines is an American ultra-low-cost airline that operates in the United States, Latin America, and the Caribbean. They’re known for their low fares, which can be attractive to budget-conscious travelers.
All right, so who doesn’t like a bargain? I know I sure do. Life is expensive enough; the last thing you want is to break the bank on airfare.
With average ticket prices skyrocketing, it’s no wonder that more and more people are turning to low-cost airlines like Spirit.
Sadly, though, the low ticket prices might be the only good thing about this airline! Why do I say this? Well, let’s see…
11 reasons why you shouldn’t fly with Spirit Airlines
1. Hidden fees galore
Spirit Airlines will get you with their sneaky additional fees, making your budget-friendly flight not so cheap. Want to bring a carry-on bag? That’ll be an extra fee. Checked luggage? You guessed it, another fee. Even printing your boarding pass at the airport will cost you money.
The endless fees add up quickly and can triple or even quadruple the price of your ticket.
2. Lots of delayed or canceled flights
If you’ve flown with Spirit Airlines before, this one won’t surprise you – long delays are common practice for them.
They’re also notorious for canceling flights without giving passengers any notice or explanation. And don’t think they’ll book you onto another flight leaving the same day with another airline, because they won’t.
Then there’s the matter of compensation. Be prepared to wait months for that, if your flight’s canceled.
3. Lack of legroom and uncomfortable seats that don’t recline
If you have a flight that’s longer than an hour, get ready for an unpleasant ride, because Spirit’s seats are known for being uncomfortable with minimal padding. They’re pretty cramped, too, with seat pitch and legroom coming in smaller than most other airlines’.
What’s more, if you were hoping to catch a quick nap on your flight or just recline and relax, that won’t be happening with Spirit. Although their seats are “pre-reclined”, meaning they’re already leaning back slightly, you won’t be able to adjust the angle any further.
4. No complimentary snacks or drinks on board
Flying can be a mundane and tedious experience, so many airlines offer complimentary snacks and refreshments. Sadly, Spirit Airlines doesn’t. Everything from a bottle of water to a bag of peanuts will cost you an additional fee.
5. You can’t pay with cash on their planes
We’re heading into a cashless society, folks, and Spirit seems to be ahead of the game. So if you’re one of those dinosaurs (I jest!) who still prefers to use cash or doesn’t have access to a debit card, credit card, or mobile payment, you won’t be able to purchase any of that non-complimentary in-flight food.
6. No charging ports or outlets on the plane
Yep, you read that right – Spirit Airlines doesn’t offer charging ports on its planes.
So if you were hoping to catch up on some work or watch a movie during your flight, make sure your devices are fully charged beforehand, or bring a portable charger with you. Otherwise, good luck trying to conserve that precious battery life.
Portable chargers to use on planes
7. Poor customer service
With Spirit Airlines, it seems like everything is designed to make the lives of their passengers harder. When things go wrong (and trust me, they often do), don’t expect any sympathy or help from the customer service department.
Complaints abound from customers who had abysmal experiences with Spirit Airlines’ customer service staff. Many passengers have reported being met with hostility, condescension, and a complete lack of empathy from the airline’s representatives.
In fact, calling their customer service line can be a headache on its own – you might have to wait for hours just to speak with someone who may not even offer a solution.
8. Limited route network
Spirit Airlines’ flight options are pretty limited, especially if you’re trying to fly internationally. Most of their flights only go to select destinations in the United States and a handful of countries in Latin America and the Caribbean.
(Though, considering how unpleasant the experience is, you might be thankful they don’t offer long-haul flights!)
9. No in-flight entertainment
Want to pass the time with a movie or TV show? Sorry, Spirit Airlines doesn’t have any entertainment on board. Unless, of course, you count staring at the back of the seat in front of you as “entertainment”, which… doesn’t sound all that entertaining.
10. Unprofessional staff
And that’s putting it mildly!
Spirit Airlines’ staff, including flight attendants and customer service agents, have been known to be rude, dismissive, and unprofessional. They’re quick to lose their temper with passengers or deny them basic requests without explanation.
But it gets worse than that. In August 2022, Spirit Airlines faced severe controversy when one of its employees was allegedly caught punching a female customer in the airport.
And in February 2023, footage surfaced of a mother and daughter getting into a fight with Spirit Airlines staff over their luggage. Yikes!
11. The general “ghetto” nature of the airline
Unfortunately, Spirit Airlines has gained a reputation for being the low class option when it comes to air travel.
With cheap prices comes a certain clientele, and let’s just say that Spirit Airlines attracts some…interesting people. From drunken (and sober) brawls to loud and obnoxious passengers, flying with Spirit Airlines can be a chaotic experience.
Wrapping things up
The saying “you get what you pay for” has never been more fitting than when it comes to Spirit Airlines. Although their low prices may seem attractive at first, the downsides of flying with them far outweigh the positives.
When things go right, flying Spirit Airlines might not be the worst experience you’ll ever have. But the moment something goes wrong – and with Spirit, it probably will – you’ll quickly regret your decision to save a few bucks on airfare.
From hidden fees to uncomfortable seats and terrible customer service, there’s no shortage of reasons why you should avoid Spirit Airlines like the plague.