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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 2 of 2)
Megan Jul 3rd 2008 6:32PM
I'm traveling with Airtran next week and they're charging $10 for each additional bag over 1 if you tell them in advance, or $20 at the gate. This is also only if the bags are under the 50 pound weight limit. We also had to go online the other day to book our seats because there was a story in the news about a woman who didn't book her seat ahead of time and was told that she couldn't get on the flight because they sold her seat to someone else. We ended up paying $6 per seat per flight, so $24 total or $12 per person roundtrip. I wanted to sit in the seats that have only 2 people next to each other but then realized that the only rows available were exit rows which would have cost us $20 per person per flight, or $80 when everything was said and done.
Blue Dog Jul 3rd 2008 6:53PM
I guess they didn't think to charge for use of the commode!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Spencer Jul 3rd 2008 7:10PM
I fly Spirit on a regular basis to Atlantic City and other destinations on a regular basis. I understand the need to cover increased costs. In their defense thier everyday fares and specials are some of the best you can find. I carry on most of the time and unless its a long trip I will await seating at the counter. ie Orlando to Atlantic City round trip $90.00! Ft Lauderdale to Orlando $23.32 ROUND TRIP!
Richard Jul 3rd 2008 7:34PM
Why don't they just file bankruptcy and get it over with. The next thing will be pay toilets except the hispanics can't do the limbo to get under the door.
I try my best to not fly american owned airlines. They are so up against it I question my safety.
I'm going to London via a Cont'l reward and asked to be put on Virgin Atlantic.
The last time I flew to Paris on Delta the first class seat was repaired with duct tape. I had Air France coming home and it was a wonderful first class experience.
All you cheap ass people out there who wanted airline deregulation and getting what you deserve. Crap for service.
Wake up America.
ale Jul 14th 2008 7:43PM
Oh my God... you're a racist asshole.
Angiebaby Jul 3rd 2008 7:46PM
I thought the whole idea of online reservations was to facilitate making your own travel arrangements, since airlines have cut employees to bare-bones staff. Actually, it more or less mandated customers do it themselves, especially after airlines began charging fees to travel agencies for their ticket purchases, which were naturally passed on to clients, too. Well, now they are holding us hostage to paying fees FOR DOING OUR OWN WORK!!! I think the new motto of American passenger airlines is "We screw you coming... and going!"
Tom Jul 3rd 2008 7:59PM
People remember, Spirit. And there is never just one airline.
Shea Jul 3rd 2008 8:19PM
Well I don't fly unless I really must either. But I am not complaining, when I went on the airtran website for my seat selection and found I had to pay for a seat I jus waited until everyone else was seated and quess what? I got seat right next to my cousin without having to pay. It just depends on the airline and time you fly.
JM Jul 4th 2008 8:06PM
We are missing the point people. We will always have the need for air travel. It's convenient, quick, even if your delayed. You can't get from Ft. Lauderdale to NY in 3 hours by car, that's for sure. And I guarantee that it will cost you more in gas than in an airline ticket. My only issue was my direct flight to LaGuardia last year on Spirit, got to Ft.Lauderdale airport early and they still delayed my luggage. Oh well. the fact is that you wont be able to get a large enough group of people to boycott the airlines, so take your time, exercise a little patience and enjoy your flight.
Ron Jul 7th 2008 10:54AM
If you don't like the airline prices, service or both, then WALK. Or drive. Or take a bus. Or take a train. If we could just harness the energy of people's whining, complaining, and tongue-wagging about bogus "oil company conspiracies", then gas would be 10 cents a gallon. Give it a rest, all you whining, crying babies.