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Spirit Airlines to start charging for MIDDLE seats!
Airlines have been doing anything they possibly can to raise money over the past few months, from checked bag fees to charging for soft drinks to increasing the price for almost everything that formerly had a fee associated with it.Now, according to an article over at Smarter Travel, Spirit has decided to start charging extra for online seat selection.
Carriers have done this before -- many current legacy carriers charge extra for sitting in an aisle or window near the front of the plane or in preferred seats. But what Spirit is proposing is to charge for ANY seat selected online before departure -- even the seats that most people don't want.
Fees will range from $15 for a window to $10 for an aisle to $5 dollars for a middle seat.
So if you want to sit next to a person that you're traveling with or want to sit in a decent seat and want to pick your spots before departure, you're basically screwed into paying these fees. It looks like you can still go to the airport the day of departure and get assigned seats, but there's no telling who you'll be sitting next to and where at that point.
[Via Airfarewatchdog]
What strange things have been found on planes?
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
james Jul 1st 2008 8:44PM
Grant, your thing with Spirit is suspect. First you post the thing about Spirit flying with "commies" and now this. I don't know Spirit, not in my city, never flown them, probably never will. But, seeing these 2 posts causes me to wonder what you are up to.
Grant Martin Jul 1st 2008 9:37PM
No conspiracy, I'm afraid, I'm just picking stories up from the wire. :)
Cheers,
Grant
mary ann Jul 3rd 2008 5:34PM
There is nothing suspect about this article. It is absolutely true. I had to pay $60.00 for seat selections for our trip to Detroit this coming Thursday. The cost was $15.00 per seat, each way. I paid extra to have a seat in the exit row so we would have some extra leg room. I also had to pay $10.00 per bag to check, each way, for a total of $80.00 and I believe we are going to be charged an additional surcharge at the airport as two of our bags are golf clubs.
Gargamello Jul 1st 2008 9:48PM
Yes this is a bummer but I gotta think the oil companies are more to blame than the airlines for all the price hikes. How many billions is Exxon making a month?
Brenda Jul 2nd 2008 12:08AM
I don't know how many billions, but we all know that they're raking it in. Chevron headquarters are right across the bay from me, they have refineries in the East Bay, but I just paid $4.69 a gallon here in San Francisco...I guess it costs a lot of money to move that gasoline a few miles......hard to believe that it cost me $75.00 to fill my 16 gallon tank on my car.
RICK Jul 3rd 2008 3:19PM
YES, IT'S TRUE. $10 IF YOU WANT TO PICK AN AISLE SEAT OR WINDOW SEAT WHEN YOU MAKE YOUR RESERVATION. A DISGRACE! NEXT THEY WILL WANT A FEE TO USE THE BATHROOM. THIS IS JUST RUBBING IT IN OUR FACES! IF I HADN'T ALREADY CONFIRMED MY RESERVATION, I WOULD HAVE REFUSED THE TRIP & BOOKED ANOTHER AIRLINE. I'D RATHER PAY MORE ON SOUTHWEST FOR EXAMPLE THAN HAVE THIS PULLED ON ME. THIS IS MY LAST FLIGHT ON SPIRIT FOR SURE. TAKE A STAND-- FIGHT BACK. IF BOOKINGS GO DOWN, MAYBE THEY'LL DO AWAY WITH SOME OF THESE AGGRAVATING FEES. THEY'RE AS BAD AS THE BANKS NOW.
Sunny Jul 3rd 2008 3:23PM
First, flying was sophisticated and an adventure.
Then flying used to be fun.
Now it is just a major pain.
What the hell happened??
(Besides 9/11)
Brian Jul 3rd 2008 6:12PM
Two words -- greed and avarice.
hc Jul 3rd 2008 3:48PM
I have given up airline travel unless absolutely necessary. fuel prices and regulations have done a num ber on the industry.
Jim Jul 3rd 2008 3:58PM
Piss on the "Friendly Skies"! I live in Michigan and I drive everywhere I wanna be, even Florida.
Sullu Jul 3rd 2008 3:39PM
I do fly to NY almost every other month. I do fly Spirit, I will however NOT pay for my seat selection. I purchase a ticker which most certainly should give me a seat. All Spirit customers should not choose their seat online, do it at the airport; that should get rid of this "charge".
Alex Vallas Jul 3rd 2008 7:26PM
I saw a cute cartoon that showed a herd of cattle cramped together. One turned to the other and said "they are treating us like a bunch of airlines passengers." I flew from Norfolk to Pittsburgh last week. The flight, including one hour waiting for our luggage, took nine hours from hotel to home. It can be driven in seven (with short stops). We weren't even offered a glass of water. On the way down we took an early flight - through one of the worst airports in the country, Philadelphia. We were 17th in line for takeoff. Wish we could just say screw it to the airlines and their high paying execs.
Craigo Jul 3rd 2008 4:30PM
Stay home! Nobody has a gun to your head. I spent the same last year on air transportaion as I did 10 years ago, so the joke is on all you compaining fools.
khadijah allen Jul 7th 2008 3:45PM
Try paying the same price now. I recently started traveling from NY to Miami once a month and I saw the increase every time. I used to just pay for the ticket and hop on the plane until I had to pay seating, checking, beverage, and surcharge fees. And when I tried to purchase the ticket in the airport I received a $30 printing fee. Needless to say, you will be shocked.
Craigo Jul 3rd 2008 7:39PM
It costs me exactly the same now as before: zero. Why would I be shocked?
James vanBuskirk Jul 3rd 2008 4:55PM
If we all stop flying unless we have no choice but to fly - it won't be long and the cheap fares will return and this nickel and dime stuff will stop. We need to remember that without us (the flying public) the airlines have nothing.
Chad Jul 3rd 2008 5:41PM
How much to breathe oxygen?
terri Jul 3rd 2008 5:54PM
I fly Spirit at least once every other month. It was initially upsetting to me when they started charging fees for baggage and seating, but that's simply because I was spoiled for always flying from NY to FLL for less than 50.00 round trip.
My roundtrip tickets to Florida are always for less than 50.00(not a typo), which includes all taxes, w/baggage and seating my round trip tix is still under 85.00 round trip, 65.00 if i have a carry-on. Not bad when other airlines announce a sale and the fare from NY to Ft Lauderdale is 99.00 each way plus taxes and luggage fees.
Just yesterday I booked a trip to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina from NY with Spirit. My grand total? $77.44 for two roundtrip tickets. Try finding that fare with any other airline.
People stop complaining and do the math.
stuart Jul 3rd 2008 7:27PM
I really dont mind paying the fees, but I do feel that I have been taken when they are not being up front. Also their customer service is by far the worst when you have a problem. The last time I flew, they rushed me through the check in so fast that I did not have a chance to consolidate my carry on and was charged for baggage. I was on hold a total of 3 hrs to try to rectify it and gave up. This time after being on hold for an hour I was given the phone number for the corperate office (954 447 7965) and no matter which option you chose you were referred to the web site. If anyone knows how to speak to a customer service rep, please pass it on.
deborah Jul 3rd 2008 5:57PM
Would you like the breathing or non-breathing section?