Spirit Airlines' Next Fee? Talking to a Human

[RamboLiberal]

Source: ABC News

Just when you thought airlines couldn't get any stingier, the CEO of Spirit Airlines said he is considering a new fee to talk with a human at the airport.

Yes, the airline that just started charging for carry-on bags might someday add a fee for getting some help from one of its employees, Spirit CEO Ben Baldanza told ABC News.

Baldanza said passengers won't see this fee "in the very near term." Or at least not until the airline improves its airport technology.

"When talking to a human being becomes an option, rather than a necessity, then we're willing to charge for it -- as we do with the call center -- but we're not at that position in the airports today," Baldanza said. "It's not that we don't think it's not a good idea at some point."

Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/Travel/spirit-airlines-fee-talking-human-airport/story?id=11306933

[TayTay]

1. Why on earth would anyone fly Spirit Airlines?

Their fees double or triple the price of flying. Why would anyone fly such a disreputable airline?

[saigon68]

11. Fuck them--They can kiss my ass

[brooklynite]

16. Simple -- they're cheap

Before getting too outraged, consider that the Airline industry has been losing money for years, partly because customers have made flight selections based primarily on increasingly lower fares, as opposed to service features or schedules. With all the "benefit" features (food, pillows, legspace etc.) cut out and downward pressure on fares still continuing (because, at this point, there are no other features to differentiate one airline from another), airlines have to start looking at the "cost" features (luggage weight, airline payrolls etc.).

I won't personally fly Spirit because I don't want that kind of aggravation, but I wouldn't get my hopes up that the rest of the industry won't follow out of necessity.

[DrDan]

2. could Baldanza be any more republican?

[tridim]

3. I'm picturing an hilarious scene where a traveler walks up to the airline desk..

And starts asking the attendant a question. The attendant just stands there, silently pointing to a slot that says "Insert 50 cents for one minute". The rest of the scene writes itself.

[Whoa_Nelly]

8. If that happens, will be forced to ask...

Do this service come with Magic Fingers?

[LibDemAlways]

4. Next thing you know they'll be making the on-board

bathrooms accessible by credit card only at $20.00 per use.

The airline fees have gotten out of hand. I would suggest the public simply boycott Spirit Airlines, which should be renamed the "Shameless Shakedown Skies."

[itsrobert]

5. Seems like he's trying to run a no frills airline

People who don't like it can go elsewhere. People who want to get from point a to point b carrying a small bag and don't need to interact with a human at the counter are going to love it.

So depending on what your need is, you can go elsewhere or not.

Looks like a convenient airline to me. No passengers trying to carry way too many bags onto the plane because they don't want to check it for connivance or not wanting to pay the check it fee.

[Xithras]

13. People like to slam them, but that's really what it is.

Spirit is running a dirt cheap airline with dirt cheap ticket prices. You aren't paying for service and amenities, and they don't give you any. For many routes, they're the cheapest way to fly between cities BY FAR. Even if you DO run up a fee or two.

Some people see air travel as something to be enjoyed, where you are well taken care of and are treated like a guest. Others see air travel as being about as "exciting" as a ride on a muni bus, and they want it to be just as cheap and quick. Spirit targets the latter group, and could care less if the first group avoids them.

[Blue_Tires]

19. it still seems like a race to the bottom for me

if people go along with this, other airlines will follow suit

[Whoa_Nelly]

6. So, when computers go down, or there's a massive storm or other event

that stops air traffic and/or working with the customer, would they then still tack on this tacky fee?

As it is now, with people trying to save a few bucks by not paying a fee for checked luggage unless necessary, and using carry-ons, if this stupid idea catches on, flying is going to become less of an option.

What next? A fee for having to interact with the TSA people at security check? "Please step aside as we have to check you with this wand/computer bomb wipe, etc. Your credit/debit card must be presented, along with your papers, ID or passport. Cash is not accepted, and will be considered a bribe, punishable by fines and/or imprisonment."

Yeah..a little extreme on my part, but once the move to less costly, and sometimes dangerous, plane repairs/missed repairs, the higher costs of flying along with luggage fees, the door was opened to more airline restrictions with no oversight to corporate regulation.

[dmallind]

7. I interact with humans in travel as litlle as possible

I am much likelier to get what I need when I do everything online.

The only thing humans at airlines (beyond of course the pilot and mechanics assuming all is done well there) do for me is add inconvenience.

[Gormy Cuss]

9. Eh, worth a try. Who would've thought that passengers would so eagerly embrace checked bag fees?

As long as consumers are willing to get nickeled and dimed by airlines the airlines will be willing to play along.

The other airlines are already watching the reaction to Spirit's plan to charge for carry-on luggage.

[CanonRay]

10. This is a corporation that needs to go out of business

as an example to others of like corporate mind.

[david_vincent]

12. I've never flown on Spirit, but

I was just talking on Saturday with someone who had flown the day before on Spirit, and said the flight was perfectly fine.
Actually, this story kind of reminds me of the old People Express. As a youth, I flew on People Express and never talked to anyone, or had reason to. The flights were fine -- a little crowded, but I got where I was going with no hassles.

[jberryhill]

18. People Express!

Ah, that was fun.

Rolling the cash register down the aisle after takeoff to collect fares.

It was like taking a train.

[liberal N proud]

14. I hope Spirit gets what it deserves

To have its wings clippled by the passengers.

This nickle and dime shit is way past cool.

[robcon]

15. I flew with spirit two weeks ago... great experience.

As a matter of fact i didn't speak to a human, but my flight was fine.

[arikara]

17. Are they the ones

who pay their pilots so poorly that they have to be on food stamps to survive?